Faith Stowers, a former cast member on “Vanderpump Rules,” has sued Bravo, NBCUniversal and Evolution Media for retaliation, discrimination, hostile work environment harassment, wrongful termination and infliction of emotional distress.
The reality TV personality, who appeared on Seasons 4 and 6 of the “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” spin-off and remains the show’s only Black star, filed her lawsuit through attorneys Bryan Freedman and Mark Geragos on Friday. The suit, obtained by TheWrap, claims Stowers was “driven out by a vicious campaign of racist harassment and retaliation.”
“Stowers was recruited to the show by Lisa Vanderpump, who expressed a desire to add more ‘color’ to the cast,” the lawsuit alleges. “Although she had never set out to be a reality TV star, Stowers was excited by the opportunity and accepted the offer. She was paid a total of $5,000 for her first season, a figure she assumed would rise over time.”
“Stowers was subjected to racism, sexual harassment and physical assault in just her first season. When she reported her mistreatment to NBC and Evolution, the network and production company, respectively, she was warned in no uncertain
terms to keep quiet and play nice,” it continues. “Driven by concern for her career and fear about how she might otherwise be portrayed on air, Stowers reluctantly did so, only to discover that she had been nominally demoted to an unpaid ‘volunteer’ without any actual change in her employment status.”
Without naming them specifically as defendants in the case, Stowers did accuse her former costars of harmful and racist behavior as well.
“Over time, her treatment got even worse. Many cast members embarked on an
overtly racist social media harassment campaign, accusing her of having gone AWOL from the military (false), of being a thief (false) and of being a career criminal wanted by the LAPD (false),” the lawsuit reads. “NBC and Evolution, which tightly control the cast’s public statements and messaging, condoned, ratified and amplified these vicious lies, causing untold harm to Stowers’ mental health and reputation. To make matters worse, NBC threatened her with ruinous legal action when she attempted to speak out.”
The suit further highlights how new spin-off “The Valley” features “a who’s who of the 2020 chopping block” after several unnamed cast members were fired for racism against Stowers. Stassi Schroeder, Kristen Doute, Jax Taylor and Brittany Cartwright were all fired from “VPR” after Season 8 in 2020 (only Schroeder did not return for the new series).
Additionally, Stowers accuses former costar Lala Kent of violent assault after allegedly threatening her with a knife.
“Other cast members have alluded to the so-called ‘knife incident’ in the past, but it has never been fully fleshed out due to Evolution’s and NBC’s cover-up. Kent and Stowers were in SUR’s dining room arguing over Stowers’ disclosure of something Kent believed was said in confidence. Kent became severely agitated, losing all self-control and hurling barbs at Stowers. Stowers and Kent retreated to a backroom, with Kent still screaming. With the cameras rolling, Kent grabbed a knife from a nearby counter and began brandishing it at Stowers, holding it to her neck and threatening to ‘cut a b—h,’” the lawsuit claims. “Stowers looked into Kent’s eyes while Kent was wielding the knife and could see that Kent was deadly serious and had completely lost control, and, consequently, that she (Stowers) was in actual danger.”
Kent and Stowers were introduced simultaneously during Season 4 of the show in 2015 as recurring friends of the cast. While Stowers appeared in an approximate 51 episodes throughout 2017, Kent remains a main character well into Season 11.
Stowers claims she was persuaded by an executive producer to not file a police report for the “knife incident.” While she eventually left the show, her romantic tryst with Taylor remained a plotline, which Stowers was told “earned her way back” — just on a volunteer basis without pay. She refused to participate, despite facing an alleged “defamation campaign” from production.
Freedman issued the following statement to TheWrap: “NBC and Evolution clearly believe that workplace safety rules, employment laws and basic decency do not apply to those in reality TV. Vicious assaults, racist harassment and impugning the service of veterans are apparently acceptable to NBC and Evolution for the sake of ratings. Faith did not know what kind of cesspool she had found herself in and reported this unlawful behavior to her superiors. In response, she was demoted to ‘volunteer’ and stripped of her already meager compensation.”
Stowers demands a jury trial and seeks compensatory damages, civil penalties, attorneys’ fees and whatever else the court deems proper.
Her lawsuit — and even her legal team — follows similar “reality reckoning” accusations from fellow Bravolebrities like Bethenny Frankel, Raquel Leviss, Brandi Glanville and Caroline Manzo.
Following her Bravo exit, Stowers has since gone on to appear on “Ex on the Beach” and two seasons of “The Challenge” for MTV.
TheWrap has reached out to Bravo and NBCUniversal for comment.
“Vanderpump Rules” airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. EST on Bravo. New episodes stream the day after premiere on Peacock. Pamela Chelin contributed to this report.
