Three of her former backup dancers were first to accuse her of sexual harassment and creating a hostile work environment. Hours later, a fourth dancer and a director have added to the claims.
Initially sued by former dancers Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams and Noelle Rodriguez, who allege Lizzo, 35, pressured the dancers to perform sex acts and that, despite her outward image of body positivity, “weight-shames” her dance troupe.
The plantiffs - Noelle Rodriguez, Crystal Williams and Arianna Davis are suing Lizzo. Photos / Instagram
Soon after the first three dancers filed a lawsuit on Tuesday, the Daily Mail reports two more women have come forward with similar claims: director Sophia Nahli Allison and dancer Courtney Hollinquest.
As news broke of the three dancers taking action, Hollinquest took to Instagram to share her own experience.
She wrote: “For clarification, I’m not a part of of the lawsuit - but this was very much my experience in my time there. ‘Big shoutout to the dancers who had the courage to bring this to light.”
Another woman, Quinn Wilson, who previously worked as Lizzo’s creative director, also shared Hollinquest’s Instagram story and added her own insight.
A fourth dancer has come forward after women have alleged sexual harassment from pop star Lizzo. Photo / Instagram
“Echoing what @cquestt said. I haven’t been a part of that world for around three years, for a reason,” Wilson wrote.
“I very much applaud the dancers’ courage to bring this to light. And I grieve parts of my own experience. I’d appreciate space to understand my feelings.”
And Allison, who had travelled with Lizzo to direct her documentary, has shared that while she doesn’t normally “comment on anything pop culture related ... in 2019, I travelled a bit with Lizzo to be the director of her documentary.”
Allison said she left the project after roughly two weeks, claiming she was " ... treated with such disrespect by her. I witnessed how self-centered, arrogant and unkind she is.
“I was not protected and I was thrown into a s****y situation with little support. My spirit said to run as fast as you f***ing can and I’m so grateful I trusted my gut.
“I felt gaslit and was deeply hurt, but I’ve healed. Reading these reports made me realise how dangerous a situation it was. This kind of abuse of power happens far too often. Much love and support to the dancers.”
Director Sophia Nahli Allison has revealed why she walked away from making a documentary about Lizzo. Photo / Instagram
The initial lawsuit made by the three dancers, who appeared on the Amazon Prime show, Lizzo’s Watch Out for the Big Grrrls, claimed the singer pressured them to touch a nude performer in an Amsterdam strip club as well as partake in explicit parts of the strip show.
The women also accuse the Good As Hell singer of taking them to a nude cabaret bar in Paris without disclosing the nature of the club ultimately robbing “them of the choice not to participate” in the night.
Other allegations include the dancers completing an “excruciating” 12-hour rehearsal and one dancer soiling herself as she was allegedly so fearful that if she left the rehearsal she would lose her job. The court documents claim the dancer was then given a see-through costume with no underwear to put on underneath it.
The women’s lawyer, Ron Zambrano, has said of the lawsuit: “The stunning nature of how Lizzo and her management team treated their performers seems to go against everything Lizzo stands for publicly.
“While privately she weight-shames her dancers and demeans them in ways that are not only illegal but absolutely demoralising.”
Also named in the papers, which were filed to the Los Angeles Superior Court yesterday, is Lizzo’s touring company, Big Grrrl Big Touring Inc and her dance captain Quigley who is accused of sharing “lewd sexual fantasies” and speaking about one of the women’s decisions to have pre-marital sex.
The list of damages includes claims of a hostile work environment, sexual harassment, religious harassment, racial harassment, disability discrimination, and failure to prevent or remedy the harassment.
Daily Mail has reported Lizzo herself is accused of disability discrimination, creating a hostile work environment, sexual harassment, and failing to stop said issues.
The singer is yet to respond to the legal filing.
Where to get help:
If it’s an emergency and you feel that you or someone else is at risk, call 111.
If you’ve ever experienced sexual assault or abuse and need to talk to someone, contact Safe to Talk confidentially, any time 24/7:
