News
Former Y&R Star Victoria Rowell Suing CBS and Sony!
Photo Credit: HutchinsPhoto.com
Victoria Rowell is said to now be suing CBS and Sony according to a report Wednesday from Daytime Confidential. In her claim, Rowell alleges CBS and Sony rejected her re-employment after she spoke out about the lack of African-American diversity in front of the camera and behind-the-scenes on the soap opera. Rowell had played fan favorite Drucilla Winters, and has tried to return to the number one CBS Daytime drama series for quite some time, but that has never materialized.
The release on the lawsuit reads: “Former ‘Young and the Restless’ star Victoria Rowell is filing a complaint in federal court against CBS, Sony Pictures and other defendants claiming that she was denied re-employment on the highest rated daytime soap opera in the country in retaliation for her public and private complaints regarding the lack of diversity in front of and behind the camera on the show.
Rowell became the first African American female with a leading role on The Young and the Restless in 1990 when she brought to life the role of Drucilla Barber Winters. She reluctantly left the show in 2007 after facing years of racial discrimination that are described in the complaint. During her tenure she won eleven NAACP Image Awards and received two Daytime EMMY nominations.
Starting in 2010 and continuing to date, Rowell has sought to return to the show or to its sister soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful. Her attempts to re-join have been denied by those in charge of hiring at Sony and at Bell-Phillip Television Production Inc., with CBS’s CEO allegedly pulling their strings.
Rowell claims the defendants rejected her re-employment in retaliation for Rowell’s public advocacy to increase the presence of African-Americans in daytime soap operas in general and on The Young and the Restless in particular. The complaint alleges that defendants have rejected her even though African American women, who comprise a huge percentage of the viewership for The Young and the Restless and for daytime soap operas in general, have clamored for Rowell’s return and rejected all of the defendants’ efforts to replace her on the show over the years.
Washington, DC-based law firm Mehri & Skalet, PLLC, along with New York City-based counsel Valli Kane and Vagnini LLP and California-based law firm, Hadsell Stormer & Renick LLP, represent Rowell in this new case.”
What do you think about Rowell suing CBS and Sony? A smart move? A PR ploy? Do Y&R fans just want to see this talented actress back in Genoa City, no matter what? Weigh-in below!
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Drucilla, er Victoria Rowell done lost her dang mind!!!!!!
This use to be worthwhile to debate …
Back in 2009 or 2010.
But it’s freakin’ 2015. Even us die-hard Victoria Rowell/Dru fans have moved on.
Well Victoria Rowell should of been back long long ago. Fans love her and miss her so much and Neil is got no real story we care about without Drucilla
OK…. “I’m done”
I’ve tried my fan base… for her character
Drucilla Dynasty will not cache her purse with Devon 2 billion
could have been a get
She is so unprofessional. I wouldn’t hire her back either. The woman is a loose cannon. She never has a kind word to say. Why would anyone want to work with someone like that? Now she’s suing them? She’s horrible. How about Michael Muhney sues? This is what’s wrong with the country. Sue when you don’t get your way. Waaaah waaaah waaaah. Don’t take any responsibility for your actions.
Exactly. If I bad-mouthed my boss and my employer-I don’t think they would be too keen on re-hiring me. It sounds desperate. I mean, is she broke?
OMG…YOU TOOK THE WORDS OUT OF MY MOUTH!!!! THANK YOU FOR VOICING AN HONEST OPINION…….
What action should she take responsibility for? Speaking out about the lack of diversity behind the camera? This is the United States of America isn’t it? Don’t we have the right to free speech? If CBS/Sony do not agree with Victoria’s point of view they don’t have to follow her suggestions. However to deny her employment because of her point of view is not a smart thing to do. If they had allowed Victoria to work, it would have drawn far less attention to the issue of a lack of diversity that she has raised. In light of the recent… Read more »
I can understand VR about fighting for diversity but its one sided…she only cares about one race and its black…what about the lack of American Indians and Japanese Americans in front of and behind the scenes…VR is also upset the soap wouldnt rehire her and she is using the race card for that too…if Y&R want to bring the character back or not they have the right to do so…should every soap rehire every actor that quit their soap just because they want their job back and cant get any other job…if the soap cant use the character you cant… Read more »
Victoria is an advocate for diversity BEHIND-THE-CAMERA. I do not know if she has included American Indians or Asian Americans in her concerns or not. If there are concerns about CBS/Sony hiring American Indians or Asian Americans, they should raise the issue themselves. Victoria is an African-American. It is quite natural that she would raise the issue of African-Americans being hired behind the camera. In this country, African-Americans have ALWAYS had to fight for the end to discrimination and for opportunities in this country. That is an unfortunate part of our history as citizens of the USA. People in the… Read more »
@ gmbenet…everything you just wrote? Race card.
Rebecca1: Race card? So what? If you are offended by what I wrote, TOO BAD!!!!! I told the truth. If you think African-Americans are going to stop raising issues relevant to us because someone might accuse us of “playing the race card”, you will be sorely disappointed. We African-Americans have endured far worse that your attitude. Yes. Everything I wrote was about race because that was and continues to be the issue! Hollywood had gotten rich by promoting and maintaining a “certain image” of African-Americans. That is ENTIRELY about race. EVERY advancement African-Americans have made is because we have by… Read more »
Rebecca1:
Speaking of “race card”, you haven’t seen me ” play the race card ” yet. When I “play the race card” I withholding my consumer spending dollars! My “race card” is GREEN! I use it for boycotting!
I doubt she’ll return now. She didn’t burn her bridges, she blew up her bridges. Boom!
yeah,
double sigh …. if only we had that luxury
the potential for her return would have been gangbusters….
the winters clan are the dullest
Stella…E-X-A-C-T-L-Y!!!!! A-n-d…I’m actually surprised that she S-T-I-L-L has a career left in the entertainment industry. Y-I-K-E-S!!!!!
YAWN.
Same song and dance. She wont be happy until she puts the final nail in her careers coffin.
“Hi welcome to Subway my name is Victoria how can I help You?”
Paper or plastic?
I think she needs to stop playing the “race” card. There are plenty of African-American actors on the show!!! Maybe if she would keep her mouth shut she would get more acting roles!!! She must be running low on cash to have to sue for $$
I thought the same thing. I don’t watch the show a lot-but I think they have a diverse set of actors/characters.
Diverse set of actors? You’re right, you really don’t watch the show a lot.
She should go take a job over at the EMPIRE. There are blacks in front and behind the camera if she is so concerned with color! Oh wait, they probably wouldnt want her either. Yeah, shes black but they are probably too smart to hire a trouble maker, black or white!
I question the information reported in this article. What I read regarding this matter from a separate source is that Victoria is raising the issue of diversity BEHIND THE CAMERA. It would be hard to argue a lack of diversity among the actors at Y&R. The are quite diverse and have been for some time.
It is very important to pay attention to details in matters such as this one because it is easy for information to become misconstrued.
Plenty of African-American actors on the show? I’m counting 3 or 4, out of a cast of nearly 40. Are you watching the same show?
Yes I would love to see Dracilla Winters back Victoria is a great actress and would be an asset to either show.
I am not Africian American but I do like to see different denominations acting together, they should get their act together and realize that is life as we know it.
Whaaaat?! Too bad because I so miss Dru and think the character is sorely needed. The Winters clan haven’t been the same without her. That said, Victoria Rowell is her own worst enemy.
ooopsie! Victoria Rowell has cooked her goose.. Her soap’ acting career with ‘any’ soap is now over. Anytime so goes for a role on any show on tv nobody will touch her after suing CBS, it is the way it is.. She is now taboo .. There is no doubt– she will lose her lawsuit.. There were other African Americans on Y&R at the time that had no problem, only her.. Perhaps she will be or is being counter sued for slander and a variety of whatevers.. ohhh ohhh not good for her.. CBS attorneys deal with stuff like this… Read more »
Exactly, and after suing a major network-I doubt that ABC or NBC (or anyone, for that matter) would be too excited to hire her..
Has to be running out of money. Next, we’ll hear how she declared bankruptcy and she’ll blame it on her attorney’s fees for this lawsuit!
Actually other African Americans there did have problems. She was the one who spoke for the group.
Again the issue is not about the hiring of actors, but the hiring of behind the scenes personnel. I do not trust the information being reported here because it conflicts with information from another source.
Maybe if she hadn’t knocked Y&R in Twitter rants and elsewhere all these years they would’ve taken her back. Her mouth was her downfall.
Victoria Rowell is done in show business by her own actions..
Suing CBS over discrimination no other media enterprise would touch her with a 10′ pole. She would be an unstable liability…
Poor, woman will end up working at walmart .. no way will she win this lawsuit, never happen..
I’m sure she knows a lot about the BTS at Y&R, CBS, Sony, and the Bells’ company. I’ve read a lot about racist insensitivity by some of the cast, like Melody Thomas-Scott running around in an Afro wig mocking VR. There’s a lot of bad blood here, so get ready for a lot of ugly stuff coming out in the trial.
Now she’s suing because they won’t hire her? Good grief. This is ridiculous. It’s not like they have the role of Drucilla on the show and recast. it She might have a valid point then, but Drucilla isn’t on, isn’t really mentioned. It’s a shame, because I enjoyed Victoria on Diagnosis Murder and might have enjoyed her on Y&R (was not watching when she was on), but I think she has alienated a lot of people and despite her talent and fanbase, she’s not worth the drama behind the scenes.
Maybe she’ll end up on EMPIRE…….Cookie can eat that MESS up!
Well…the never ending story. Let me first say…I am not judging this woman. She provided many years of entertainment, and personally, I would love to have Drucilla back on the show. The Winters clan has never been the same without her, and Sharon needs the kick ass Dru in her corner defending her, and putting all the hypoctrite haters in their place. But now to real life. It has been 8 years. Suing now?? It is a documented fact that people rarely sue on principle, or to help others, or to foster change or improvement. They sue for cold hard… Read more »
She must be needing some cash real bad, because this just makes her look desperate. They can’t be made to hire her if they don’t want. Last time I checked this was still a semi- free country.
k! bye bye dru for good! after neil gets over hevon, the genoa pd shld find dru s body mangled up on a river bank! lol.
time to commit to hilary, leslie or bring back aunt liv as the real matriach for the winters clan! i say leslie, she was neils equal!
at least neil and the fans can finally move on from dru s departure! that victoria rowell dug her own grave!
Its a shame she is such a pill, the Winters family is front and center! They should recast the role immediately!
‘Oh dear’ is all I can say right now!!!!!!!!!
I’ve been waiting for her return ever since they flung her off that cliff. I’ve had nothing against all these Dru fill ins since, but everybody needs to put all this foolishness behind the & BRING HER BACK!
Please
Rub a lamp, Miss Rowell – you have a better chance of having a Genie appear before your eyes than thinking you will win this frivolous and laughable lawsuit.
Phil Morris called her on her actions a while ago she never shuts up. He was on the show in the 1980’s with major story and very popular along with Stephanie Williams and yes they are both African American. This is what happens when you start thinking you are the show. She had a good thing going and she blew it!
Also I wonder if she thanks her mother is racist also since she is white!
Hehehehehehehe. I was going to say…it’s sad that the Winters aren’t black enough for her.
I think they should bring “Drucilla” back in the form of another actress. She is sooooo childish. Typical behavior of a child, when they don’t receive positive attention they begin to act out. It’s sad because she really is a good actress. Damn troublemakers!
Can’t imagine what a joy she was to work with…LOL
Psh. No kidding.
She is a good actress but she’s an activist for African/Americans which there is nothing wrong with but like anything there is a time & a place for it and work is not the place for it. Does anyone remember the award show a few years back when Pamela Anderson decided before reading the nominee’s she would talk about killing baby seal’s etc.? She got boo’d and rightfully so. Wrong time & place. Doing anything else is just trouble making all around. We live in a world where war is a daily thing on the news, people are getting killed… Read more »
she wasnt even that good to begin with thats really why she isnt back on the show
What?! A batshit crazy Daytime Diva?! How could such a thing exist?
Victoria Rowell needs to get over herself already!!!!! Once a troublemaker, always a troublemaker…
I THINK SHE JUST TOOK CARE OF ANY CAREER SHE EVER HAD IN A SOAP!!!!!!!!!!!! DONT MISS HER AND DONT LISTEN TO HER WHATEVER SHE HAS TO SAY….CANT BLAME SONY FOR NOT REHIRING……SHE IS SHOWING HER TRUE COLORS NOW…
I no longer care if VR returns…i believe Dru’s return would been a boost for the show…either recast or bring back Olivia!!!
aunt liv!!! genoa city memorial needs thr doc back! plus she can mingle wth leslies husband!!!
I hate the race card…I think people use it constantly when things don’t do their way. I don’t even pay attention to the complaint once that card Is played. And Michael Fairman…With all due respect I wouldn’t state that she “faced years of racial discrimination.” Those are her claims..not facts. Dunno. If I thought I faced years of discrimination I wouldn’t stay at a job for 17 years..leave..and want to return. By the way…never watched the show, don’t know or care who she is, but the subject pisses me off so I read it and commented.
I 100% agree!
You know what’s sad about this whole thing? The fans are the ones who’ve lost because of her big fat mouth. I started watching the day she went careening off the cliff, so I missed the Drucilla dynasty, but I know she’s been a beloved character. She had to make everything about stuff that it isn’t, so the fans lose. Actors need to start to learn that the show will go on. And she’s probably been fuming that Lily is married to a white guy. That’s what keeps racism alive.
She really needs to let this go or get mental help.
I don’t feel sorry for Victoria Rowell. I loved her on the show, but any actor is dispensable. Any employee is dispensable. Somehow she thinks her character is key to the show, when in fact, Drucilla is not. In fact, I’m surprised they don’t just re-cast the part if the current regime felt the need to bring the character back. Victoria is only going to make matters worse for herself, as I’m sure Sony & CBS may have a thing or two up their sleeves to stave off any lawsuit.
She is hurt and in pain. I miss Drucilla. No one could replace her. Her independence is what made Drucilla a great character. BDB = Bring Drucilla Back.
Well, if there was any doubt before, there isn’t now. It doesn’t look like she’ll be back at Y&R, which is a huge disappointment because so many fans miss her. I guess the show will have to recast if they want to bring Dru back. To be fair, though, the only prominent African-American characters on Y&R right now are Neil, Devon, Lily and Hilary. Leslie and Tyler have slipped into the background and we never see them anymore, same with Leslie’s husband Dr. Barton, whom I have no clue why he was even brought onto the show, played by Terrell… Read more »
Tyler sucked! Dr. Barton is missed and would have been able to do front burner stories.
This is amazing, someone who publicly slams a former employer now files suit because they won’t hire her back. Really? Who does she think she is? This is a nuisance law suit. There are thousands qualified to take her place, she must think CBS is an entitlement. She needs anger management.
Victoria Rowell has lost her mind. She has completely ruined her career now,because nobody will touch her now. It makes no sense suing eight years after she QUIT to file a lawsuit. If somebody had wronged me I would take action immediately. Nobody else has had any problems at the show. Demanding to get hired,and turned down is no means for a lawsuit,and I don’t blame anyone for not wanting to hire her over her childish behavior. Y&R currently has more african american actors than the other 3 soaps combined,and a front burner AA story driving February sweeps,which contradicts her… Read more »
People may not have liked the forum she chose to voice her concerns but her issues were valid. Speking out is not playing the race card
Speaking out and then suing is playing the race card in my opinion.
She started on that show in 1990. There wasn’t a lot of diversity…yet obviously the network decided to change that. She maintained her job for years…Where are Native American roles, Asian roles, Jewish characters…black is not the only “other”race…and every job that’s lost, award not won, contest not won, crime unpunished…isn’t because the person is black. I wonder if Kanye would insult a black artist who won instead of Beyoncé. I wonder how many riots there would have been if OJ had been found guilty. I wonder how much media attention and possible protests would be happening if Bill Cosby… Read more »
No chance of her EVER returning now!?
Hmm, I left Sony in 2010 on my own accord to raise a family. Maybe I should ask for my old job back and, if they don’t give it to me, I should SUE.
Oh wait, I didn’t bite the hand that feeds me like Ms. Rowell did and publish some nasty book like she did. And I always got a raise and excellent performance reviews because I was NOT a cancer to work for/with.
What goes around, Ms. Rowell, comes around.
And I would like to add, if anyone is to come back, I would MUCH rather see the lovely actress that played her sister … not Druzilla. Neil and Liv would be good together.
I don’t have an opinion on this (although it doesnt seem very professional I agree!),
as I wasnt a Y and R viewer when Drucilla was on.
But from everything I have read, she and Neil were great together, a super
couple. Does this mean like Luke and Laura once were?
And if Lily is Malcolm’s, then Drucilla left Neil at some point? Or did she cheat
on him?
Anyway, I agree with those posting that she will lose this lawsuit! Dont see
a leg for her case to stand on.
Victoria Rowell is a has been and a desperate woman. She will lose in court, I used to like her. But now I have lost respect with this diva. Her money has run out, go do a reality show.
It’s craziness to say she has lost her mind. If she feels remotely anyway that CBS and others retaliated against her for speaking out privately or publicly is injustice and wrong. Let the record speak for itself, Y&R target audience has always been AA that tuned everyday to watch it. Regardless, if her Employer was CBS or Burger King if she felt there was wrongful doings at the top or behind the scene that right is hers to do something about it. Walk a mile in her shoes or anyway else for the matter or maybe even your own before… Read more »
I don’t know anything about this woman, butthere needs to be more black actors on Days of our Lives. There are no actors of color who have lead roles and storylines. There is Abe, Maxine, Theo, but they do not have any developed storylines at this time. Days should do this.
So she thinks she can sue Sony and YR for not hiring her back. Good luck with that. She’ll be luck if she can get a job at all after this. YR is doing fine without her.
Given her Twitter ramblings and continued smack talk concerning CBS, Sony and the series, i don’t blame them for not welcoming her back; she’s shot herself in her own foot by continuing to play the race card, when I truly don’t see that as to why they wouldn’t re-hire her. Truthfully, she’s the one who quit, and maybe, just maybe, they don’t want her back. She needs to get over herself and realize I doubt she’ll ever be welcomed back, especially now.
If I remember correctly, CBS was accommodating to her when she worked on both Y&R and Diagnosis Murder. Notice the timeline of events here – marries someone that may have influenced her to rant and rave – in January He files for divorce from Her – lawsuit begins. Maybe she should look at who supported her (CBS) and who influenced her into a bad situation and maybe sue that person, not an entire company.
Ruh roh it’s Sharpton time!
I’ll tell you how crazy this broad is, NO ONE from the current cast has come to her defense. End of the story!
You might be right, Timmm, but I’ll also point this out: if she’s right, any current cast member who wants to keep his/her job would be foolish to say anything. What I think is perhaps more telling is that nobody else that I’m aware of who was part of Y&R through the years but no longer is (and thus does not have a job to protect) has come out in support of her, either. I know that one can sue in the United States over anything—there’s nothing to stop you, it’s your right. What I’m trying to figure out is… Read more »
Here is a good racial point to make on behalf of Sony/CBS. If Y&R is so unfair to work at and doesnt give minorities equal opportunities, why is it Shemar Moore left the show, become a prime time star and came back to Y&R for a short stint? Y&R put him on the map, he got a break in prime time and came back to Y&R as a favor. It wasnt for the money. He is grateful and not a psycho troublemaker.