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"9-1-1" Actor's Lawsuit Against Disney's 20th Television Dismissed
18 Oct
Summary
- Jury unanimously ruled in favor of Disney's 20th Television
- Dunbar sued over failure to accommodate religious beliefs on COVID-19 vaccine
- 20th Television affirmed it acted fairly and lawfully toward Dunbar
On October 18, 2025, a jury unanimously ruled in favor of Disney's 20th Television in a lawsuit filed by "9-1-1" actor Rockmond Dunbar. Dunbar had sued the company in 2022, claiming that 20th Television failed to accommodate his religious beliefs, which he said prevented him from getting the COVID-19 vaccine.
Dunbar's character, Michael Grant (ex-husband of Angela Bassett's Athena), was written out of the show in 2021 after Dunbar refused to follow vaccine mandates for cast and crew members. The actor had attempted to get both religious and medical exemptions, but was instead removed from the series.
In a statement following the verdict, a 20th Television spokesperson expressed satisfaction with the outcome, saying it "affirms that 20th Television acted fairly and lawfully toward Mr. Dunbar." The company had previously stated that it takes the health and safety of all employees seriously and implemented a mandatory vaccination confirmation process for those working in Zone A on its productions.
Dunbar had claimed in his lawsuit that he was a victim of racial discrimination and that "non-minority employees similarly situated were not subject to termination by avoiding the COVID-19 vaccine." However, the jury ultimately sided with 20th Television, dismissing Dunbar's allegations.
