‘Station 19’ Had Writers Room Incident Involving Written Racial Slur – Deadline

EXCLUSIVE: In April 2021, ABC’s first responders drama Station 19 aired an episode hailed as probably the most highly effective reflections of George Floyd’s homicide on tv. It was written by government producer/showrunner Krista Vernoff, with contributions from the present’s writing and help employees in addition to the solid.

Greater than a yr later, an incident involving the depiction of racism on the web page has left the writing staff of the Gray’s Anatomy spinoff reeling. In response to sources, it needed to do with a author’s latest draft of an overview for an upcoming Season 6 episode that included quite a few makes use of of a racial slur by a racist character.

I hear the define was met with shock and disbelief when shared with the writers room, and tensions grew to some extent the place the digital room has been placed on pause. Vernoff on Monday despatched an e mail to the employees, a duplicate of which was obtained by Deadline, by which she spoke of “latest hurt and systemic points” that might be addressed in a Zoom assembly Tuesday. It was to be attended by Jones, an organizational psychology guide group specializing in fostering variety and inclusion in work environments and management.

“We won’t be assembly creatively nor ought to we e mail as a bunch till then,” Vernoff wrote in her Monday e mail to the employees saying the Tuesday assembly. “We won’t proceed with enterprise as normal till the latest hurt and systemic points have been addressed and therapeutic has begun. If you’re on script or define please work by yourself for the second.”

The assembly was held yesterday, and communication among the many writers on the present has resumed since, sources inform Deadline. The present’s digital writers room has not been reconvened, nevertheless, whereas the state of affairs is being evaluated and safeguards are being put in place.

Shonda Rhimes’ Shondaland is behind each Gray’s Anatomy and spinoff Station 19. The corporate, which has damaged quite a few obstacles for on- and off-screen illustration over the previous twenty years, rapidly intervened after the incident first occurred, sources stated.

“As an organization, it’s in our DNA to continuously evaluate the tradition of our productions and to rapidly make adjustments if and when they aren’t residing as much as the Shondaland values,” the corporate stated in a press release to Deadline. “A latest state of affairs within the writers’ room at Station 19 offered us with alternatives to reimagine the construction of management within the identify of making a extra respectful and inclusive office.”

ABC and ABC Signature, the studio which produces Station 19, declined remark.

It’s unclear what precisely the reimagined management construction on the present can be. Since Vernoff runs each Gray’s Anatomy and Station 19, her No. 2 and prime lieutenant on Station 19 is Kiley Donovan. I hear the adjustments would come with potentiality bringing in a brand new head author who’s an individual of coloration, with Donovan, who has labored on each Gray’s Anatomy and Station 19 for the previous three years, presumably shifting to a different Shondaland sequence.

Additionally unclear is the destiny of the script that sparked the controversy. The offensive portion will clearly not be used.

Manufacturing on Station 19‘s upcoming sixth season began July 28. It’s slated to premiere October 6.

Station 19, ABC’s No. 2 scripted sequence behind Gray’s Anatomy, follows a bunch of heroic Seattle firefighters as they put their lives and hearts on the road. The sequence stars Jaina Lee Ortiz as Andy Herrera, Jason George as Ben Warren, Boris Kodjoe as Robert Sullivan, Gray Damon as Jack Gibson, Barrett Doss as Victoria Hughes, Jay Hayden as Travis Montgomery, Danielle Savre as Maya Bishop, Stefania Spampinato as Carina DeLuca and Carlos Miranda as Theo Ruiz.

The sequence was created by Stacy McKee. Rhimes and Betsy Beers additionally function government producers alongside Vernoff. Station 19 is produced by ABC Signature, part of Disney Tv Studios.