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‘Justice League’ Investigator Says Walter Hamada Did Not Interfere as WarnerMedia Defends Exec From Ray Fisher Allegations

Ray Fisher Walter Hamada
AP

WarnerMedia has broken its silence over Ray Fisher’s recent tweets about the investigation into alleged misconduct on the set of “Justice League.”

In the most recent tweet, posted Saturday morning, Fisher claimed that DC Films President Walter Hamada tried to “delegitimize” the investigation, and that Warner Bros. lied to the press about it.

“Do ya’ll remember that time Walter Hamada and @wbpictures tried to destroy a Black man’s credibility, and publicly delegitimize a very serious investigation, with lies in the press?” Fisher wrote, adding: “But hey, Black Superman,” in reference to the news that Ta-Nehisi Coates is writing a new Superman film for Warner Bros. and DC.

In response, WarnerMedia released a statement defending Hamada and upholding that the investigation was done in a fair way.

“Once again there are false statements being made about our executives and our company surrounding the recent ‘Justice League’ investigation,” a spokesperson for WarnerMedia told Variety. “As we have stated before, an extensive and thorough third-party investigation was conducted. Our executives, including Walter Hamada, fully cooperated, no evidence was found of any interference whatsoever, and Warner Bros. did not lie in the press. It’s time to stop saying otherwise and move forward productively.”

Katherine B. Forrest, a former federal judge and current investigator into the alleged misconduct on the “Justice League” set, also released a statement affirming Hamada’s innocence.

“I am disappointed by continued public statements made suggesting that Walter Hamada in any way interfered with the ‘Justice League’ investigation. He did not,” Forrest said. “I interviewed him extensively on more than one occasion and specifically interviewed him concerning his very limited interaction with Mr. Fisher. I found Mr. Hamada credible and forthcoming. I concluded that he did nothing that impeded or interfered with the investigation. To the contrary, the information that he provided was useful and advanced the investigation.”

Fisher then responded to WarnerMedia’s statements, saying that he has stated that Hamada “attempted to interfere” in the investigation, not that he did; and calling Forrest’s statement “purposely misleading and desperate.”

“As I’ve said from the start: Walter Hamada ATTEMPTED to interfere with the JL investigation. He was unsuccessful in doing so because I did not allow him to,” Fisher wrote on Twitter. “Having the investigator make a statement claiming there was no interference is purposely misleading and desperate.”

Fisher has often used the word “attempt” in reference to Hamada and the “Justice League” investigation. In a tweet on Feb. 13, Fisher wrote that “@wbpictures chose to remove the role from the film rather than address Walter Hamada’s attempt to interfere with the Justice League investigation.”

In another tweet regarding Hamada on Feb. 11, Fisher said: “Had he succeeded in discouraging the Justice League investigation, we would not be here. He owes Charisma Carpenter and every other participant an apology.”

However, there have been a few instances where Fisher has not used that exact wording. For example, in a Jan. 7 tweet regarding his removal from “The Flash,” Fisher wrote: “If @wbpictures has made the decision to remove me from The Flash, rather than address, in any way, Walter Hamada tampering with the JL investigation – that’s on them.”

In a longer statement posted on Jan. 13, Fisher wrote: “Bear in mind, Walter Hamada interfering with the Justice League investigation is a completely separate issue than the investigation itself.”

 

Representatives for Fisher did not immediately respond to Variety‘s request for comment.

Fisher’s other tweets were in response to Nadria Tucker, a former “Superman & Lois” writer and “Justice League” investigation participant who has detailed her experiences with racism while a part of the show, particularly against executive producer Geoff Johns.

“I feel every bit of your pain @NadriaTucker,” Fisher tweeted on Feb. 24. “Among other things, I had to spend an inordinate amount of time explaining to Geoff why he was NOT the authority on how the existence of Cyborg’s genitals would be perceived by the Black community. He strongly disagreed.”

Fisher expressed his support for Tucker again on Feb. 25, condemning the investigation. “The fact that so many participants of @WarnerMedia’s Justice League investigation are having to out themselves in order for abusers of power to be held accountable is disgraceful,” Fisher wrote.

In December, WarnerMedia announced that they had concluded their investigation into misconduct on the set of “Justice League,” and that “remedial action” had been taken.

Fisher first alleged that misconduct had occurred in July, when he claimed that “Justice League” director Joss Whedon had exhibited abusive behavior on set, while producers Johns and Jon Berg enabled him. An investigation was opened into the claims in August, but escalated in September when Warner Bros. released a statement that, among other things, Fisher “falsely claimed” that Hamada threw Whedon and Berg “under the bus” in a conversation with Fisher, in an attempt to save face for Johns, a claim Fisher still stands by. Warner Bros. also claimed in September that Fisher declined to speak with the third party investigator, which Fisher disputes. Forrest’s statement today does not address this issue.

Fisher has not publicly detailed his allegations about Whedon’s behavior on the set of “Justice League,” and WarnerMedia has not publicly revealed the findings of its investigation, nor any details of the “remedial action” the company says was taken once it concluded.

Fisher’s tweets and WarnerMedia’s statement come as Zack Snyder’s version of “Justice League” is set to premiere on March 18, a project that Fisher has been actively promoting on Twitter.

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