Hannibal creator Bryan Fuller sued for alleged sexual harassment by fellow producer

Bryan Fuller, who created shows including Hannibal and American Gods, has been sued for alleged sexual harassment by a fellow producer with whom he worked on a 2022 AMC queer horror docuseries.

In a lawsuit filed with the Los Angeles County Superior Court on Wednesday (4 October), Sam Wineman accused Fuller, 54, of making persistent references to masturbation, engaging in casual bullying and fostering a hostile work environment.

Via his lawyer, Fuller has vehemently denied the allegations, calling Wineman a “pathological liar”.

According to the documents seen by The Independent, Wineman alleged that Fuller sexually assaulted him several times, doing so “under the guise” of “cracking his back”. At which point, Fuller would allegedly “completely restrict” Wineman from movement as he pressed his penis against Wineman’s buttocks, holding it there so that he could feel it through the fabric of Fuller’s trousers.

Wineman and Fuller, who are both gay, worked together on the four-part docuseries Queer for Fear: The History of Queer Horror, which released on AMC’s Shudder streaming service in 2022.

Wineman claimed that he was removed from the project in August 2021, around four weeks after he complained about Fuller’s conduct.

The suit further states that Fuller allegedly made frequent references to his penis, either while discussing the actors/films that he “masturbated so much” to or adult/child power dynamics in stories that he was “w***ing it to” or “jerked off so many times to”.

AMC Networks, Shudder and Steakhaus Productions are also named as defendants. The lawsuit accuses the producers of protecting Fuller, arguing that he was “the money” and “we have to keep the money happy”.

The Independent has contacted AMC Networks, Steakhaus Productions and Fuller’s representative for comment.

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Wineman is demanding a jury trial and is seeking exemplary and punitive damages for the alleged damages suffered, including future lost earnings, future economic loss, physical pain and mental suffering.

Fuller’s attorney, Bryan Freedman, responded to the allegations, calling them “fictitious” and “absolute garbage”, claiming that Wineman was fired for “gross incompetence”.

“Sam Wineman just made the biggest mistake of his life and once the evidence comes out, he will forever be known as a pathological liar,” Freedman told Deadline.

Wineman is best known for writing and directing the horror short film The Quiet Room, which was screened at the 2018 Outfest. The year prior, Fuller won the Outfest Achievement Award, where he outed Heroes star Thomas Dekker as gay in his acceptance speech.