David Del Rio, a member of the cast of TV legal drama Matlock, has reportedly been fired from the show following an investigation into an allegation of sexual assault.
Del Rio played the character of Billy Martinez, a first-year associate at the law firm that employs the title character played by Kathy Bates. Deadline have reported that cast member Leah Lewis, who plays Sarah Franklin in the show, reported an allegation of sexual assault against Del Rio, said to have taken place on September 26.
The article states the actor was fired from the role and escorted from the Paramount lot, where the show is filmed, on the same day the alleged assault was reported – October 2. The report said filming continued on the show following the actor’s firing, with scripts needing to be reworked to deal with Del Rio’s departure.
David Del Rio is yet to publicly comment on the allegations.
Leah Lewis has shared a picture on Instagram stories with her mother, with the caption: “Mom is here. We’re moving forward in love and strength. I’m in good hands. Thank you to everybody for any kind of support and care. Truly, we’re moving forward in strength. Key word, strength. Let that be the takeaway.”
David Del Rio had been part of the Matlock cast since the show’s pilot in 2024. He has also appeared in the TV shows The Good Doctor and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, as well as appearing in the films Pitch Perfect and The Belko Experiment.
Leah Lewis has been acting since childhood, with a mixture of live-action and animated voice roles. As well as Matlock, she plays Cassandra Cain/Batgirl in the DC animated series Batwheels, and voiced the lead role of Ember Lumen in the Pixar hit Elemental.
This is a developing story.
For more help, advice or more information regarding sexual harassment, assault and rape in the UK, visit the Rape Crisis charity website. In the US, visit RAINN.
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