Amy Powell, the president of TV at Paramount Television has been fired after allegedly making inappropriate comments at work, deemed "inconsistent" with the company's values, The Hollywood Reporter reports. Jim Gianopulos, head of Paramount, broke the news to staff in an internal memo that "multiple individuals" had come forward with "concerns" about the comments made by the executive while in a professional setting. In response to the firing, Powell released the following statement to THR: "There is no truth to the allegation that I made insensitive comments in a professional setting — or in any setting. The facts will come out and I will be vindicated."
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During her five years at Paramount, Powell most notably helped bring on 13 Reasons Why and The Alienist. Currently, she is set to work on the production of the TV adaptation of First Wives Club, which is being written by Girls Trip's Tracy Oliver and promises to star a diverse cast. Variety speculates that Powell made racially insensitive comments in relation to the project, citing a recent tweet from Oliver that reads: "Had a moment today that REALLY pointed out why we need representation across the board. A black female voice doesn't matter if the decision makers don't understand nor even want to understand what you're saying. Where's the #metoo for race shit out here?"
The email from Gianopulos says that while it was difficult to part with Powell, "it is imperative that we uphold our values and ensure that all employees feel safe and included in the workplace." As it should.
Refinery29 has reached out to Powell, Oliver, and Paramount Television for comment.