“Beast Games” contestants sue MrBeast and Amazon, alleging 'sexual harassment,' 'emotional distress,' and more

The lawsuit claims that contestants were subjected to “unreasonable, unsafe, and unlawful employment conditions” on the show, which had a $5 million cash prize.

Five anonymous contestants from the upcoming reality competition Beast Games have taken legal action against Amazon, production company Off One’s Base, and YouTube star MrBeast’s company MRB2024 over allegations of sexual harassment, infliction of emotional distress, and unpaid wages from their time on the show. 

The lawsuit, which was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on Monday and obtained with redactions by Entertainment Weekly, claims that the companies involved subjected the contestants to “unreasonable, unsafe, and unlawful employment conditions” on the show, which saw more than 1,000 people compete for a single $5 million cash prize. 

It also alleges that production staff denied contestants “privacy and access to the outside world,” noting that they were “fed sporadically and sparsely” and “not given adequate access to hygienic products or medical care.” The suit also specifically claims that the defendants created “a hostile work environment for the female contestants” participating in Beast Games.

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The complaint, which is heavily redacted, states that the plaintiffs “have filed this action using pseudonyms and applying conservative redactions that limit public viewing in a good faith effort to comply with Defendants’ overbroad confidentiality provisions (which Plaintiffs allege are unenforceable)” and to “preserve the confidentiality and privacy interests of the Plaintiffs who wish to avoid opprobrium.”

Representatives for MrBeast would not comment on the case. Amazon did not immediately respond to Entertainment Weekly’s request for comment. 

“As extreme as the allegations against defendants are here, the law could not be more clear,” Robert N. Pafundi, lead counsel for the plaintiffs, alleged in a press release obtained by EW. “Participants entered into contracts and they were promised compensation for their services. Their expectation of compensation, along with them being consistently under the control and supervision of the production staff, makes them employees under California law. As such, they were entitled to, and denied, certain protections. And when you add to that the extreme neglect, degradation, harassment and inhumane conditions – it’s quite simply a massive dereliction of duty, for which the defendants must and will now be held accountable.”

Hosted and executive produced by MrBeast, a.k.a James “Jimmy” Donaldson, Beast Games was touted as “the biggest reality competition series ever” when ordered by Prime Video in March. The lawsuit states that the production did not provide “adequate medical staff on site” or “reasonable medical care, forcing [participants] not to sleep, and forcing them to participate in games that unreasonably risked physical and mental injury.” It also cites local news outlets that allegedly reported that “Beast Games Contestants were taken to the hospital, including for dehydration.”

The complaint also cites an alleged employee handbook that stated: “If talent wants to draw a dick on the white board in the video or do something stupid, let them… People like when we are in our natural element of stupidity. Really do everything you can to empower the boys when filming and help them make content. Help them be idiots.”

“Over a dozen people” that competed on the show said that “they had not received adequate food or medical care and that some competitors had suffered injuries from the physical challenges,” The New York Times reported in August.

The lawsuit, which has demanded a trial by jury, is seeking class-action status on behalf of all Beast Games contestants who were affected during their participation on the show, and asks for the defendants to pay back all unpaid and overtime wages and to reimburse any expenses. It is also seeking punitive damages.

A release date for Beast Games has not been announced.

Read the original article on Entertainment Weekly.