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Jason Mitchell fired from 'The Chi' for 'rage and inappropriateness' towards co-star

Jason Mitchell, left, and Lena Waithe attend "The Chi" FYC Event at the Pacific Design Center on Wednesday, April 10, 2019, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)
Jason Mitchell, left, and Lena Waithe attend "The Chi" FYC Event in Los Angeles. (Credit: Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)

New details have emerged about the chain of events that led to Straight Outta Compton star Jason Mitchell being fired from Showtime’s Chicago-set drama The Chi.

Mitchell was fired from the show earlier this month. He was also fired from the upcoming Netflix film Desperados which is in production Mexico, and dropped by his agents after a string of accusations of inappropriate behaviour from his cast and crew.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Mitchell’s co-star Tiffany Boone had filed complaints with the HR department for the Showtime series as had showrunner Ayanna Floyd.

Floyd claims the show’s creator Primetime Emmy Lena Waithe was fully aware of the allegations of misconduct against Jason Mitchell since its first season, which aired in America from December 2017.

Read more: Jason Mitchell fired from The Chi S3

Waithe, who is an advocate of Time’s Up as well as The Chi’s executive producer and writer, is said to have known of the allegations before he was kept on for both seasons two and three.

“When I took the helm in season two, it was Lena who informed me of the issues between Jason Mitchell and Tiffany Boone from season one, and that Tiffany was thinking of leaving the show because of it,” Floyd told THR.

Jason Mitchell and Tiffany Boone in <i>The Chi</i> (Showtime)
Jason Mitchell and Tiffany Boone in The Chi (Showtime)

“As a result of this information, I discussed Tiffany’s claims with the studio’s HR department and set up HR presentations for the writers, cast and crew.

“Ultimately, everyone was well aware of Jason’s behaviour and his multiple HR cases, including Lena, the creator and an executive producer of the show, who is very involved at the studio and network level,” she added.

Ford claims that after she initiated an investigation into the complaints against the actor - known for his roles in Straight Outta Compton and Mudbound - she “became a target of his rage and inappropriateness, and had to report him to HR, as well.”

Tiffany Boone and Jason Mitchell attend a screening and Q&A for 'The Chi' on Day 1 of the SCAD aTVfest 2018 on February 1, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Paras Griffin/Getty Images for SCAD aTVfest 2018 )
Tiffany Boone and Jason Mitchell attend a screening and Q&A for 'The Chi' on Day 1 of the SCAD aTVfest 2018. (Paras Griffin/Getty Images for SCAD aTVfest 2018 )

A source claims that Waithe was unaware that Mitchell’s behaviour had continued into season two after he was given a second chance. She did not address Floyd’s claims in a statement to THR only Boone, who plays Jerrika on the drama.

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“I think Tiffany is a wonderful actress and an extremely brave woman. I wish her nothing but success in the future,” Waithe said. “I look forward to getting back to work on season three.”

Showtime claims they were only made aware of the allegations against Mitchell after he was fired from season three.

The report also says that Mitchell had behaved inappropriately on the set of his Netflix film Desperados, with sources claiming the actor “began making actresses uncomfortable almost as soon as he arrived in Mexico”.

Their source says the 32-year-old made “highly inappropriate remarks to two actresses in the film while lingering close to their quarters.”

Following an investigation, Mitchell was subsequently fired from the film and replaced by Lamorne Morris.