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Ketamine Confession Leads to Netflix Executive's Firing
27 Jul
Summary
- Executive fired after admitting prescribed ketamine use.
- Company investigation focused on drug use, despite therapy context.
- Lawsuit claims the company encouraged alcohol consumption.
A former Netflix executive, Kevin Baillie, has filed a lawsuit against the company after his termination. Baillie was dismissed following an admission made during a January 2026 company retreat at Sendero Ranch in Northern California. During a "vulnerability-trust exercise," Baillie disclosed his use of prescribed ketamine in 2022 to cope with his mother's death.
This disclosure reportedly triggered an internal investigation that characterized his ketamine therapy as recreational drug abuse, leading to Baillie's termination from his $1.1 million annual position and denial of severance. The lawsuit contends that the investigation also scrutinized his alcohol consumption and use of profanity, despite prior warnings suggesting only a reduction in expletives. Additionally, the lawsuit notes Baillie demonstrated a head-standing Guinness trick at the retreat, an activity he claims occurred in a context where alcohol was present.
Baillie's legal filing asserts that Netflix and its subsidiary Eyeline Studios fostered an environment where alcohol was encouraged. The suit alleges that Eyeline CEO Jeff Shapiro himself purchased beer for company events and served alcohol from a personal office bar. Baillie is seeking a jury trial for compensatory and punitive damages, including lost wages and emotional distress.
