Dear White People’s Jeremy Tardy is LEAVING series over alleged ‘racial discrimination’ by Lionsgate

Jeremy Tardy is leaving the cast of Netflix’s Dear White People after accusing series producer Lionsgate of racial discrimination.

‘Unfortunately I will not be joining NETFLIX’s Dear White People for its fourth and final season due to my experience with Lionsgate and their practices of racial discrimination,’ began the actor, 29, In a lengthy rant posted to Twitter on Friday.

Tardy, who played Kenyan college student Rashid Bakr, went on to compare his unsatisfactory season four negotiation process with Lionsgate to that of ‘one of [his] white colleagues.’

‘After being offered to return for several episodes my team was notified that our counter offer would not be considered and that the initial offer was the “best and final.”

‘This news was disturbing because one of my white colleagues — being a true ally — revealed that they too had received the same initial offer and had successfully negotiated a counter offer,’ alleged Jeremy.

Despite bringing this inequity to Lionsgate’s attention, the production company’s producers ‘maintained their position that the white actor was able to negotiate while [Tardy] was not- regardless of [his] credits and experience.’

This disregard for the systemic issue at hand prompted Tardy and six of his recurring castmates to put pressure on Lionsgate by collectively passing on their initial offers.  

‘With this information six recurring cast members, along with myself, banded together on Monday, August 30th to pass on Lionsgate’s initial offers. Our stance was to move powerfully as a unit in the negotiation process and, more importantly, to stand on principle because this is not simply a monetary matter. 

‘We were all aware of the notorious pay disparities between people of color and our white colleagues on Netflix and Lionsgate shows; so this made it blatantly obvious.

‘However, our collective bargaining power was undermined with side deal offers and lack of transparency. These tactics led to some individuals taking deals before the collective group received a fair and equitable negotiation process,’ he explained.

Jeremy called out Lionsgate and Netflix for their alleged performative activism, in terms of supporting the Black Lives Matter movement, while actively ‘undervaluing and lowballing’ people of color behind-the-scenes.

‘These companies have recently released statements and even donations in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. I am calling out their shameful practices of discrimination and racial inequality with regard to how they have historically undervalued and lowballed people of color.

‘Politically correct lip service and symbolic gestures do not absolve you of the daily responsibility of doing business in a fair and equitable manner.’

To close out his passionate posts, Jeremy noted that Netflix and Lionsgate’s practices go directly against the entire premise of Dear White People, which premiered in 2017.

‘The fact that this has occurred behind the scenes of a show which purports to address systemic issues of racism and discrimination displays the very epitome of hypocrisy. Lionsgate. Netflix. I see you. We see you,’ he concluded.

After Tardy made his very public accusations against them, Lionsgate released a statement to Entertainment Weekly, where they insist that the seemingly inequitable negotiation was ‘purely financial’ and that race was not a factor.   

‘Lionsgate is committed to equal treatment for all talent regardless of race, gender, age or sexual orientation. We are very proud of Dear White People and its place in the national conversation about racial equality and social justice and we look forward to beginning production on its 4th season,’ they concluded.  

Over the span of three seasons, Tardy has appeared in over 11 episodes of Dear White People.

Dear White People, which was renewed for a fourth season by Netflix last October, is directly based off the 2014 independent film of the same name directed by Justin Simien.