The fourth and final season of The Umbrella Academy comes out in just a couple months, so it seems like a good time for a scandal. Steve Blackman, who has served as showrunner on Netflix's offbeat superhero series since the start, was the subject of a Rolling Stone report that accused him of harrassing, degrading, and lewd behavior.
The report mostly drew from a 2023 HR complaint made against Blackman. Twelve anonymous sources made complaints. Some of the accusations include:
- Blackman is accused of taking credit for the work of other writers. In one instance, the Writer’s Guild of America intervened when Blackman credited himself as the sole writer on an episode. The episode eventually dropped with four other writers credited.
- Blackman is accused of scheming to fire a writer on maternity leave. “We have the perfect opportunity to jettison her via studio cover and replace,” he texted one person.
- When star Elliot Page transitioned between seasons, Blackman sounded panicked, at least based on this text: “Elliot wants to come out as trans on the show. As Ivan. Oh my f—king God. Kill me now.” Elliot Page previously played a character named Vanya, but as of season 3 played Victor.
- As far as lewd comments go, Blackman allegedly spoke of a woman’s breasts as her “rack” while texting a writer. There actually was an internal probe that concluded that Blackman had made “inappropriate and unprofessional remarks” and used “foul and derogatory language,” but it didn't affect his $50 million deal with Netflix. Some accusers criticized the probe, saying they hadn't been contacted.
Now, Blackman has issued a statement via his rep, per The Hollywood Reporter. “Over six years and four seasons overseeing thousands of crew, actors and writers, Steve Blackman led The Umbrella Academy to become a beloved series with devoted fans, enthralling stories and a dedicated team making it all possible,” it reads. “These allegations from a handful of disgruntled employees are completely false and outrageous, and in no way reflect the collaborative, respectful and successful working environment Mr. Blackman has cultivated.”
The statement also addressed Blackman's text about Elliot Page, saying that it expressed frustration at the prospect of having to do “a complete rewrite under a wildly compressed timeline and the responsibility to handle this with sensitivity and care.” The transition from Vayna to Victor on the show has been widely praised, and Elliot Page himself has said they're happy with it.
Time will tell if this is the kind of scandal that blows over or the kind that affects Blackman going forward. Either way, the fourth and final season of The Umbrella Academy drops on Netflix on August 8.
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