A cast member on the CBS drama Matlock has been fired after being accused of sexual assault. Upon its debut in September 2024, Matlock was an instant hit with viewers and critics alike, with a current score of 90% on Rotten Tomatoes.
According to Deadline, Matlock star David Del Rio, who plays Billy Martinez, has been let go after facing a sexual assault accusation by co-star Leah Lewis, who plays Sarah Franklin. Lewis reported her co-star on October 2 after the assault occurred on September 26, which led to the creation of an investigation conducted by CBS Studios and the show's producers.
Once the inquiry was closed, Del Rio was dismissed on October 2, the exact day that Lewis spoke up.
Eric Christian Olsen, one of the executive producers of Matlock, and others reportedly ushered the actor out of the studio and off the premises.
It sounds like everyone with any position of authority on Matlock didn't hesitate to take Lewis' allegation seriously and took swift action to investigate the alleged situation and ensure Del Rio's employment with the show was dealt with as fast as possible so that a toxic work environment wouldn't spring up in the wake of the alleged assault.
The quickness of the investigation into the alleged sexual assault proves that the producers of Matlock take these types of accusations very seriously and will be handled with the severity they deserve.
The filming that took place on September 26 was for Matlock season 2, which premieres on October 12. It's unclear exactly how many episodes have been filmed, but roughly half the season is in the can at this point. It's also unknown if Del Rio's firing will cause any production delays in the coming weeks.
However, Matlock is already scheduled for a filming break starting the week of October 13, and the cast and crew won't return to set until after the Thanksgiving holiday weekend to continue the rest of the sophomore season.
Del Rio's character, Billy Martinez, and Lewis' Sarah Franklin are associates working at Jacobson Moore. The two have provided plenty of humorous moments on Matlock, which would likely have continued into the second season.
During the Matlock season 1 finale, Billy discovered that Claudia was pregnant with his baby. Presumably, that storyline will be dealt with to some degree in Matlock season 2, though the writers will now have to craft an explanation for Del Rio's permanent absence.
Matlock season 2 premieres Sunday, October 12 at 8:30 p.m. EDT/8 p.m. PDT on CBS.
