Former ‘911’ Castmember Sues Over Vaccine Refusal Dismissal, Claims Racial Discrimination

Rockmond Dunbar, an original castmember on 911, is suing Disney and 20th Television after being dismissed from the hit drama series for refusing to get the COVID-19 vaccine. He accuses his former employers of racial discrimination and alleges they to refused to grant him a religious exemption and other vaccine-related accommodations when they did so for other, non-Black castmembers.

“Disney has a history of racial discrimination, and Mr. Dunbar was subjected to disparate treatment and disparate impact discrimination on the basis of his race,” states the complaint filed in California federal court. “On information and belief, non-minority employees similarly situated were not subject to termination when they refused the COVID-19 vaccine.”

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20th Television in a statement rebuffed allegations of racism, saying “there are no differences in our process or decision-making based on an employee’s race.”

The statement adds: “To ensure safe working environments at our productions we have implemented a mandatory vaccination confirmation process. While we will not comment on any one individual, each request for exemption is given a thorough review and we grant accommodations consistent with our legal obligations.”

Disney and Fox are among the majority of studios that mandate vaccines for cast who need to go unmasked for scenes as well as crew that are in close proximity to them.

The lawsuit peels back some of the secrecy around discussions between employers looking to safely proceed with productions, and actors who say they should be exempted from getting the vaccine.

In September 2021, Dunbar requested both a religious exemption based on his beliefs as a member of the Church of Universal Wisdom and a medical exemption based on an undisclosed disability, according to the complaint. Disney allegedly did not initially respond to his request for a religious exemption, believing that Dunbar only pivoted to it because he thought it stood a better chance than being granted than a medical exemption, which was denied after his doctor was interviewed by a Disney-affiliated physician.

“Defendants’ communications regarding Mr. Dunbar’s religious accommodation request conveyed Defendants’ bias against Universal Wisdom,” writes Dunbar’s attorney Caroline Tucker in the lawsuit. “This bias against Mr. Dunbar’s beliefs is clear evidence of the intent to discriminate, regardless of Mr. Dunbar’s sincerely held religious beliefs, and the evidence he submitted to Defendants to establish his sincerity.”

Dunbar’s last day working on the 911 set was Oct. 18. His contract wasn’t terminated until November, when Dunbar’s attorneys sent a letter to Disney describing how its actions were allegedly discriminatory. Disney claimed that Dunbar breached his contract, which had over $1.3 million left to be paid out, by failing to comply with the vaccine mandate.

After he was dismissed, Dunbar was allegedly told by Fox’s lawyers that his request for a religious exemption was denied because his beliefs are insincere based on the fact that he had previously received tattoos and ear piercings, and because an unnamed representative linked to Dunbar told Fox that his wife threatened to divorce him if he got the vaccine.

In support of his racial discrimination claims, Dunbar argues that Disney and Fox accommodated exemption requests from other, non-minority 911 actors. He alleges that some of his castmates who sought non-religious exemptions were granted vaccine-related accommodations in the form of paid time off, while he was terminated.

Dunbar claims that Disney smeared him as a “recalcitrant anti-vaxxer” rather than a follower of a religion that prevents him from being vaccinated, to “signal to the entertainment industry that Mr. Dunbar should not be hired.”

“Publicly calling him out also served to show other actors in the entertainment industry that they should not try to stand up for their religious beliefs because they too could be fired,” the complaint reads.

Dunbar alleges religious and racial discrimination, retaliation and breach of contract, among other claims that allow for punitive damages. He seeks backpay and an order requiring defendants to accommodate employees’ religious beliefs. (Read the full complaint below.)

Former General Hospital actor Ingo Rademacher in December sued ABC following his dismissal from the show for refusing to get vaccinated for COVID-19. He also alleged that the network illegally refused to accommodate his objections after subjecting him to a contentious “half an hour of cross-examination about his religious beliefs.”

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