Former “Real Housewives of Atlanta” star NeNe Leakes has allegedly filed a lawsuit against Bravo and exec Andy Cohen, accusing them of racism and of fostering a hostile working environment.
“NBC, Bravo and True foster a corporate and workplace culture in which racially-insensitive and inappropriate behavior is tolerated — if not, encouraged,” the filing reads per THR.
The filing also alleges NeNe griped for years about racist remarks from white “Housewife” Kim Zolciak-Biermann. NeNe says that while Kim faced no consequences, she has paid a hefty price.
“As the Black Lives Matter movement swept our nation, Mrs. Leakes — Bravo’s historically most successful Black female talent — should have been embraced by NBC, Bravo, and True,” the complaint states, per THR. “Instead, NBC, Bravo, and True forced her out of the ‘house she built,’ denying her a regular role.”
NeNe claims that during the first season in 2008, Kim said that she didn’t want to attend a group barbecue, adding, “I don’t want to sit around with NeNe and eat chicken,'” which is an incident “RHOA” viewers are already aware of.
Nene claims Kim also made “racially offensive and stereotypical” comments about the new home of housewife Kandi Burruss’ neighborhood, calling it a “ghetto.”
NeNe says Kim also used the “n-word” and referred to her home as a “roach nest.”
“From the day the series began filming, NeNe was the target of systemic racism from co-star Kim Zolciak-Biermann, which was tolerated by Bravo executive producer Andy Cohen and other executives,” NeNe’s attorney David deRubertis said in a statement.
Speaking to PEOPLE, a rep for Kim responded to the lawsuit:
“NeNe and Kim have been fine for a while now,” a source close to production told PEOPLE. “Kim isn’t sure where all this is coming from.”
