Producer on Starz Series ‘BMF’ Suspended After Allegedly Threatening WGA Picketers with His Car
The writers’ guild is working to ‘hold this individual accountable’ after he allegedly drove toward protesters to ‘scare’ them
Aline producer for the Starz show BMF (or Black Mafia Family) has been suspended after being accused of threatening to hit writers on a picket line with his car, and the Writers Guild of America says it is taking action to “hold this individual accountable.”
A representative for Lionsgate, which produces the series, said in a statement to The Messenger: “We take acts of intimidation and threats of violence seriously and investigate them thoroughly. As we continue to investigate, we have sent home the individual involved.”
On Thursday, writer Brian Egeston (Tyler Perry’s House of Payne) published a series of tweets accusing Ian Woolf, a line producer on BMF, of aiming his vehicle at WGA members picketing at the show’s Atlanta set. Egeston said Woolf drove toward them before slamming on the breaks within feet of them.
AN OPEN LETTER TO THE MAN WHO ALMOST KILLED ME ON THE WGA PICKET LINE TODAY.
A thread… pic.twitter.com/tImgeGpguC
— Brian Egeston (@TheBrianwrites) June 8, 2023
“As I marched with the WGA in a peaceful protest, similar to the giants who have walked the very streets where you almost committed manslaughter, you chose to — in your own words — ‘Tried to scare you,'” Egeston wrote in an open letter to Woolf on Twitter.
Writer and WGA strike captain Gabriel Alejandro Garza, who was also working the picket line at the time of the incident, echoed Egeston’s allegations on Twitter. According to Garza, another writer shouted “look out!” as Woolf’s car allegedly drove towards the group, who were on the sidewalk.
Garza claims Woolf stepped on the gas a second time and came even closer to the picketers, before parking and allegedly approaching the group on foot, saying, “I didn’t see you guys.”
According to Garza, Woolf later told the picketers, “I was trying to scare you,” more than once.
Gabriel Alejandro Garza here. I'm a WGA Strike Captain, and the other writer standing next to Brian when this happened. I joined Twitter jsut know to post this: pic.twitter.com/5UJ3Ddm0Tk
— GG (@GG2116921532691) June 9, 2023
Writer Tom Smuts, who is the husband of WGA West president Meredith Stiehm, was on the Georgia picket line Thursday and said that he was present when “laser eyed @ianwoolfprod stated repeatedly and on tape that he was trying to scare Brian and Gabe so that we would all go away.”
I was on the picket line yesterday in Atlanta just moments after @ianwoolfprod used his SUV to threaten and intimidate Brian Egeston @TheBrianwrites and fellow WGA member Gabe Garza @GG2116921532691. https://t.co/YG93qZvJ0a
— Tom Smuts (@TomSmuts) June 9, 2023
Smuts also claimed that Woolf “pleaded” with Teamsters of Local 728 to continue working, and when they refused, he began to work the set himself, turning on generators and opening trailers.
Lionsgate representatives declined to comment on whether Woolf would be paid while suspended. Woolf has not responded to The Messenger’s request for comment.
In a statement to The Messenger, the WGA wrote, “Workers should not be threatened with physical harm when exercising their right to publicly protest and picket against unfair wages and working conditions. Anyone who harms or threatens to harm a member or supporter of the Writers Guild on a picket line should be held responsible for their actions. The WGA is working closely with members who were endangered during this incident to hold this individual accountable.”
The WGA has been on strike since May 2 as members argue for wage increases, residuals from streamers and restrictions on the use of artificial intelligence, among other things. Writers have formed picket lines on sets across the country, and many productions have halted as members of other unions, including crew and actors, have refused to cross the picket line.
