14 dancers received settlement from Lizzo before harassment lawsuit
A new report has uncovered a previous settlement received by 14 backing dancers for American pop star Lizzo after footage of them appeared without their permission in the 2022 documentary Love, Lizzo.
According to a report by The Los Angeles Times, Slay Smiles, the previous manager for the dancers that appeared in the documentary, raised the issue of the singer using their candid footage discussing racism and weight-shaming without their consent.
Smiles claimed that Lizzo “truly exploited these women and violated the emotional safety they had in those moments.” The film’s production company, Boardwalk Pictures, and a “Lizzo entity” settled the dispute in February before an official lawsuit was filed, according to the report.
Smiles also claims that the dancers weren’t offered a contract for the behind-the-scenes footage and that their appearances were not covered by their union contract for the MTV Video Music Awards, where the footage was captured. Alan Brunswick, an attorney for Boardwalk Pictures, disputed Smiles’ claims. “They all knew the cameras were there,” Brunswick told The Los Angeles Times. “I don’t think the documentary was even contemplated at that point.”
The dancers were reportedly unaware that the behind-the-scenes footage would be used in the documentary until a clearance producer emailed an offer of $350 to each dancer, plus a 10% agency fee to appear.
With the potential threat of a lawsuit, a final settlement of $109,551 was reached. Each dancer received between $7,092 and $7,545 for their appearance in the documentary. the musician’s attorney, Martin Singer, claims that Lizzo “had nothing to do with it and knew nothing about it”.
The new details come as Lizzo continues to be accused of workplace harassment and misconduct. None of the 14 dancers who received settlements are involved in the current harassment lawsuit.
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