Linnethia "NeNe" Leakes, who starred on "The
Real Housewives of Atlanta" for seven seasons, claims she
suffered racial abuse from white co-star Kim Zolciak-Biermann
for years and was retaliated against by NBC and Bravo for
complaining.
The lawsuit filed on Wednesday in Atlanta federal court also
names "Real Housewives" executive producer Andy Cohen, other
producers and production companies True Entertainment and Truly
Original as defendants.
NBC and Bravo did not immediately respond to requests for
comment. Cohen and Zolciak-Biermann, who is not a defendant in
the lawsuit, could not immediately be reached.
Leakes in the lawsuit said Zolciak-Biermann made a series of
offensive and racially charged comments over Leakes' time on the
show, such as referring to a Black neighborhood as a "ghetto,"
saying "Blacks don't swim" and calling Leakes' home a "roach
nest."
The lawsuit says NBC and Bravo reinforced the racist conduct by
giving preferential treatment to Zolciak-Biermann and other
white stars, such as by allowing them to choose the times they
filmed and acceding to their demands that their families
accompany them on trips.
Leakes claims that in retaliation for speaking out publicly and
raising concerns to Cohen and other executives, the companies
sidelined her and ultimately kicked her off the show in 2020.
Her firing came as the Black Lives Matter movement was sweeping
the country, preventing her from participating in filming about
important race issues, according to the lawsuit.
Leakes accused NBC and Bravo of violating a federal law that
prohibits race discrimination in the creation and enforcement of
contracts, and bars retaliation against people who complain
about unlawful conduct.
She is seeking damages for lost earnings and other monetary
damages.
(Reporting by Daniel Wiessner in New York; Editing by Alexia
Garamfalvi and Stephen Coates)
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