‘X-Men ’97’ Creator Beau DeMayo’s Lawyer Says Disney Is ‘Gaslighting’

“X-Men ’97” creator Beau DeMayo‘s attorney has issued a statement in response to Disney saying DeMayo was fired from the series due to misconduct allegations.

“Having much experience with Disney, the playbook is always the same,” attorney Bryan Freedman of Freedman Taitelman + Cooley said in a statement to Variety. “Family friendly on the outside, but secretly attempting to plant illegal unconscionable items in contracts that silence the truth and stop the employee/customer from asserting basic constitutional rights.”

The statement comes one day after Disney issued a statement of its own regarding not only why DeMayo was fired from the series but why his credits are to be removed from the second season of “X-Men ’97.” DeMayo had taken to social media earlier in the day stating that Disney had taken the aforementioned action due to gay pride posts DeMayo made in June.

Disney responded by saying that it took action after an investigation found that DeMayo had committed “egregious” misconduct during his time on the show, but did not elaborate as the nature of the misconduct. A source told Variety that it was sexual misconduct that led to DeMayo’s initial removal and repeated violations of his separation agreement led to the removal of his Season 2 credits.

“As we will explain through detailed examples which we will roll out in detail one by one, Disney’s model is very clear and a repetitive illegal pattern,” Freedman’s statement continued. “Once it gets challenged or exposed, the gaslighting and redirection of the blame toward anyone willing to tell the truth starts through an international well oiled publicity machine.”

The full statement can be read below.

Freedman has represented a number of high-profile clients over the years, including Megyn Kelly, Gabrielle Union, the Michael Jackson estate, and Chris Harrison.

DeMayo was fired in March, ahead of the series premiere on Disney+. He had completed work on Seasons 1 and 2 of the animated program ahead of his exit. “X-Men ’97” received strong reviews upon its debut and was recently nominated for an Emmy Award for best animated program.

Full statement:

Having much experience with Disney, the playbook is always the same. Family friendly on the outside, but secretly attempting to plant illegal unconscionable items in contracts that silence the truth and stop the employee/customer from asserting basic constitutional rights. As we will explain through detailed examples which we will roll out in detail one by one, Disney’s model is very clear and a repetitive illegal pattern. Once it gets challenged or exposed, the gaslighting and redirection of the blame toward anyone willing to tell the truth starts through an international well oiled publicity machine. The problem for Disney is that when they go up against someone who has concrete evidence of this happening over 100 times, many of which have led to them settling hundreds of cases if not thousands to try and continue to control critics, employees and even lawyers who sue them. The problem for them is that I have the evidence and clients willing to be truthful and they know it. These are actually facts not argument or conjecture. Over the next few months, with the brave help of those who have been illegally silenced, retaliated for simply telling the truth and then destroyed for it, one by one this bullying and illegal conduct will be exposed to the government. Beau DeMayo wants nothing from Marvel/Disney except the truth. He will bravely tell the truth. So will I. Stand by.