Emotional distress to unpaid wages: The latest updates on Love Is Blind lawsuits
The producers are being sued for 'inhumane working conditions'
Love Is Blind has led to former cast members filing lawsuits, including suing the production company, Kinetic Content, for emotional distress, trauma and imprisonment. Nick Thompson, Renee Poche, Stephen Richardson, and Jeremy Hartwell have filed lawsuits.
Jeremy Hartwell issued a major lawsuit in 2022
In July 2022, Jeremy Hartwell filed a lawsuit against Netflix, production company Kinetic Content, and casting company Delirium TV, accusing them of labour law violations, including “inhumane working conditions” and paying cast members less than minimum wage.
More mistreatment allegations were brought to light in an April 2023 Insider report, in which several cast members, including season two stars Danielle Ruhl and Nick Thompson, as well as Jeremy, spoke out about their experiences on the show.
Kinetic Connect denied allegations from both the 2022 lawsuit and the Insider report, with CEO Chris Coelen saying that Kinetic provided access to psychological care throughout filming, explaining that two psychologists were present in the control room during filming.
After the cast members claimed they faced a $50,000 penalty for leaving the show “without producer approval,” Coelen said that production never enforced the clause, and that the penalty was removed from contracts in recent seasons.
Nick Thompson filed case against the contracts
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Nick filed a case against Kinetic Content, who draw up the contracts and reach out to the show’s potential contestants. He claimed reality TV stars are considered contractors rather than employees, meaning they don’t get the same rights as an employee.
The agency claim the casting agency is breaking the law by classifying contestants as contractors. This means the contestants allegedly don’t have the ability to speak on working conditions. Kinetic Content denied any wrongdoing and vowed to challenge the complaint.
Stephen Richardson sued for ‘inhumane conditions’
In September 2024, Stephen Richardson, who was on season seven, filed a class action lawsuit against its production companies, Kinetic Content and Delirium TV, claiming that they failed to pay wages and that cast were subjected to “inhumane working conditions.”
Renee Poche filed a lawsuit in 2024
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In January 2024, Renee Poche filed a lawsuit citing emotional distress along with violations of labor and civic codes. She also alleged abuse, imprisonment, and abuse the filing against Netflix and the show’s production company, Delirium TV.
Delirium sought private arbitration against Poche for purportedly violating her non-disclosure agreement by making public remarks critical of the show. The company sought $4 million from Poche, who made $8,000 from her appearance on the show in 2022.
Tran Dang sued for assault – but not for her contract
Tran Dang, from season five, has sued Delirium and Kinetic Content, but not Netflix, for sexual assault, false imprisonment and negligence. Unlike Poche, however, she is not seeking to nullify her contract, which could have far-reaching implications for the industry.
The lawsuit, filed in August 2022, alleges Thomas Smith sexually assaulted Dang while on the set, with all incidents captured on 24-hour surveillance. Kinetic and Delirium gave a joint statement to People, saying that they “cannot address undisclosed concerns.”
They claimed Tran “never informed the producers of any alleged wrongdoing of any kind.” Show creator Chris Coelen also spoke to the outlet, alleging that Dang “never told [producers] that she felt unsafe or experienced any of the allegations that she made” in the suit.
He called Tran’s false imprisonment claims “preposterous,” claiming participants are always free to walk away from the show. “We do not tell people what to say, what to do, we consistently tell people that this is their journey, this is their life to lead as they choose,” he said.
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