Netflix and the Duffer Brothers both deny accusations of abusive behavior on the Stranger Things set
Yesterday saw Peyton Brown, a crew member on the set of Netflix’s hit series Stranger Things, accuse series showrunners Matt and Ross Duffer of acting abusively toward “multiple women” on the show’s set. Writing on a since-deleted Instagram post, Brown—who also said they wouldn’t return as a grip for the show’s third season— said, “I personally witnessed two men in high positions of power on that set seek out and verbally abuse multiple women. I promised myself that if I were ever in a situation to say something that I would. I have 11.5 thousand followers who can hear me say this, TIME IS UP.” (Brown later confirmed that they were talking about the Duffers in the post.)
Both Netflix, and the series’ showrunners, have now responded to these accusations; the streaming service has said that it investigated the allegations against the Duffers, stating that the company “found no wrongdoing” on either man’s part. The Duffers themselves also issued a statement denying the accusations against them, while also defending their conduct and their set:
We are deeply upset to learn that someone felt uncomfortable on our set. We think it is important not to mischaracterize our set, where we believe strongly in treating everyone fairly regardless of gender, orientation, race, religion, or anything else. We remain totally committed to providing a safe and collaborative working environment for everyone on our productions.
Stranger Things is slated to return for its third season next year.