Ex-‘Shrinking’ Assistant Director Sues Warner Bros. Television, Alleging Sexual Harassment and Wage Theft

‘Shrinking‘ has spent its first three seasons building a reputation as one of Apple TV’s most acclaimed comedies, earning praise for its ensemble cast and its willingness to blend humor with genuine emotional weight. Starring Jason Segel and Harrison Ford, the Warner Bros. Television-produced series recently picked up 10 Emmy nominations heading into this year’s ceremony.

That momentum took a sharp turn just days after the show came up short at the Emmys on September 14. A new legal complaint filed against the production has shifted attention away from the show’s awards run and toward serious allegations about how its set was actually run behind the scenes.

Mindy Tessa McKoin, who served as a key second assistant director on ‘Shrinking’ for multiple seasons, filed a seven-claim lawsuit on Tuesday in Los Angeles Superior Court against Warner Bros. Television, executive producer and director Randall Winston, and other defendants. The complaint alleges sexual harassment, battery, wrongful termination, retaliation, and violations of California labor law.

According to the filing, McKoin claims that during the ‘Shrinking’ Season 2 wrap party in June 2024, Winston approached her from behind while she was seated at the bar speaking with another crew member and, without her consent, reached around and grabbed her left breast. She says she reported the incident to her direct supervisor, but that Warner Bros. never took corrective action despite having notice of the alleged conduct.

The lawsuit states that Winston went on to retain his position and directing assignments on the show through Season 4, remaining active on set as late as July 8, just two days before McKoin says she was terminated. Her attorney, Avi Gholian, wrote in the complaint that during McKoin’s multi-season run on the series, “no performance deficiency, misconduct, or business rationale was identified then or anytime thereafter.”

Beyond the harassment allegations, a significant portion of McKoin’s complaint focuses on wage and timecard disputes. She claims she was shorted a day’s pay early in her tenure and was told that production accounting had been specifically instructed to record her hours that way. She also alleges that after being offered the Key Second Assistant Director role for Season 4, a position that previously required two people, she continued to face issues with accurate compensation and altered time records.

McKoin says she filed written complaints about the alleged timecard tampering on multiple occasions between May and July of this year, and that she was subsequently called into a closed-door meeting where she was accused of speaking disrespectfully to crew during a tech scout. She was ultimately terminated on July 10, a date her attorney notes fell within 90 days of her most recent protected complaints, a timing detail central to the wrongful termination and retaliation claims.

According to reporting from The Hollywood Reporter, Warner Bros. Discovery and Winston did not immediately respond to requests for comment following the lawsuit’s filing. The complaint, which seeks unspecified general, compensatory, and punitive damages for emotional distress, lost wages, and other financial losses, was first reported by Deadline before spreading across multiple entertainment and legal news outlets.

McKoin’s attorney framed the case as one where a longtime, well-regarded crew member was ultimately pushed out after raising legitimate concerns rather than because of any performance issue, arguing that Warner Bros. “knew or should have known of the harassment” through her supervisor and “failed to take immediate and appropriate corrective action.”

It’s important to note that these are allegations contained in a civil complaint and have not been proven in court. Warner Bros. Television and Winston have yet to publicly respond to the specific claims outlined in the filing, and no trial date or further legal proceedings had been reported at the time of publication.

The lawsuit adds an unexpected layer of controversy to a show that had otherwise been enjoying a strong run of critical recognition, with Season 4 of ‘Shrinking’ already confirmed earlier this year. How the case unfolds in the coming months could carry real implications for the production heading into its next season.

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