The Real Housewives of Atlanta is facing serious legal heat as Brit Eady has filed a $20 million lawsuit against Bravo, NBCUniversal, and production companies True Entertainment and Endemol Shine North America, alleging defamation, sexual harassment, and intentional infliction of emotional distress over her portrayal in a controversial Season 16 episode.
Filed on Thursday, June 5, the lawsuit stems from a now-infamous moment in Episode 5 of the currently-airing season, in which Kenya Moore displayed an explicit image during her hair spa opening—allegedly suggesting it depicted Eady performing a sex act. Eady, however, claims the image was not of her, and says she only saw the photo after the episode aired nearly a year after it was filmed.
“I do not know who was in that photo,” Eady later wrote on Instagram, “but upon seeing it for the first time recently, I now know it was not me.”
In the lawsuit, Eady asserts that Moore’s actions were not only false and defamatory but also enabled by the network under the legal principle of respondeat superior, which holds employers accountable for employees’ misconduct. Moore was suspended from the show soon after the incident and was not invited to attend the Season 16 reunion taping.
The legal filing accuses the defendants of acting with reckless disregard for the truth, stating:
“Defendants willfully, intentionally, recklessly, and/or with gross negligence produced, edited, and aired an episode of RHOA… that falsely yet unmistakably implied that the graphic sexual photograph depicted [Eady].”
Eady claims she repeatedly tried to see the image before it aired but was denied access. Her lawsuit further accuses the production environment of being a hostile workplace, arguing that she was subjected to gender-based attacks and offensive behavior while being expected to continue filming under emotionally distressing conditions.
As part of the relief sought, Eady is asking for:
- The removal of the episode across all Bravo/NBC platforms
- A public statement acknowledging the false depiction
- Compensatory damages of no less than \$20 million, plus legal costs and interest
The filing coincided with the RHOA Season 16 reunion taping, which Eady also skipped. On her Instagram Stories, she expressed the emotional toll the season has taken:
“The events of this season have devastated me… I look forward to seeking accountability and moving past this dark part of my life.”
Neither Bravo nor NBCUniversal has commented on the lawsuit. PEOPLE reports that inquiries made to Eady’s attorneys were not immediately returned.
