Why did Afton Williamson leave The Rookie? See her statement

Why did Afton Williamson leave The Rookie? The news regarding the actress’ departure was recently made public, and in a new statement overnight, she explained why in the mod vivid of details.

In the post on Instagram HERE, Williamson noted that her exit was a personal choice following what she claims to be a pattern of on-set bad behavior and then also a lack of oversight by executive producers, including showrunner Alexi Hawley. She notes a pattern of apparent harassment by a recurring guest star on the show and bullying by the head of the hair department. In her words, this person was only fired after an alleged sexual assault at the wrap party and the previous pattern of bad behavior was ignored.

The allegations that Williamson presents in her statement are heinous, and not just because of them alone — it’s also the apparent pattern of avoidance from those higher up at the show who chose inaction rather than action. She lists of a pattern of this and an environment where, in general, it feels like her voice was not heard. She was invited back for the second season with assurances that everything had changed, but upon looking at the evidence, she did not believe that to be the case.

No one from the production side of The Rookie has responded at the time of this writing, but it feels from Williamson’s statement that there were significant patterns of behavior that were not address and handled in the way in which they should be. Even in an era where workplace harassment and misconduct are under increased scrutiny, we still have a long ways to go until actors, crew members, or any person in any job can just be themselves without having to worry about unwanted treatment.

What do you make of Williamson’s statement, and do her allegations impact the way you watch The Rookie moving forward? Be sure to share in the comments.