Dear White People’s Jeremy Tardy accuses Lionsgate and Netflix of ‘racial discrimination’: ‘It is the very epitome of hypocrisy’

Tardy slammed the companies for ‘politically correct lip service’ and ‘symbolic gestures’

Dear White People actor Jeremy Tardy revealed that he will not be returning to the show due to experiences of “racial discrimination”. 

In a series of Twitter posts, which have garnered nearly 30,000 likes, Tardy chronicled the events that led to his exit from the acclaimed series.

The actor claimed that Lionsgate made him an offer to return for season four, but declined to consider his team’s counter offer despite having done so for a white actor in a similar position to Tardy. 

“My team was notified that our counter offer would not be considered and that the initial offer was the ‘best and final’", he said.

"This news was disturbing because one of my white colleagues – being a true ally – revealed that they too had received the same initial offer and had successfully negotiated a counter offer," wrote Tardy. 

As a result, the actor has been written off the series.

A still from Dear White People

He slammed Lionsgate and Netflix over the move, calling the companies’ support for the Black Lives Matter movement “politically correct lip service and symbolic gestures”.

Tardy wrote: “These companies have recently released statements and even donations in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. I am calling out their shameful practices of discrimination and racial inequality with regard to how they have historically undervalued and lowballed people of colour.”

He added: “Politically correct lip service and symbolic gestures do not absolve you of the daily responsibility of doing business in a fair and equitable manner.”

The War Dogs actor also highlighted the hypocrisy of the alleged racial pay gap considering the series in question is focused on racial injustice and inequality. 

He said: “The fact that this has occurred behind the scenes of a show which purports to address systemic issues of racism and discrimination displays the very epitome of hypocrisy.”

Tardy concluded: “Lionsgate. Netflix. I see you. We see you.”

The 29-year-old had joined six other recurring cast members who collectively declined initial offers in the hopes of negotiating better deals as a group.

Tardy revealed that “our collective bargaining power was undermined with side deal offers and lack of transparency” with some of the actors splintering off to make side deals with the studio “before the collective group received a fair and equitable negotiation process".

Lionsgate has issued a statement in response to Tardy’s claims, calling the situation “a purely financial negotiation regarding deal terms”.

Based on Justin Simien’s acclaimed debut feature film of the same name, Dear White People is a satirical comedy series following a group of students of colour who navigate social injustice, cultural bias and misguided activism at a predominantly white Ivy League university. 

Tardy played Kenyan student Rashid Bakr, a recurring character who appeared in seasons one, two and three of the series.