With all of the current allegations against Lizzo from her dancers, more details have emerged. According to the Los Angeles Times, 14 of the singer’s dancers received a separate settlement relating to footage that appeared in the 2022 documentary Love, Lizzo. They also reported that in January, the dancers’ intimate discussion of how misogyny, weight-shaming and racism affected them was allegedly used unauthorized. The manager, Slay Smiles, said the documentary had “truly exploited these women and violated the emotional safety they had in those moments.” A group including the co-production company Boardwalk Pictures and a “Lizzo entity” settled the dispute in February after a dancer hired an attorney, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Alan Brunswick, an attorney for the co-producer Boardwalk Pictures, countered that the footage in the documentary “was captured openly” and with consent. He told The Times, “They all knew the cameras were there. I don’t think the documentary was even contemplated at that point.” The dancers were allegedly unaware that the behind-the-scenes footage would be used in the documentary until a clearance producer emailed to offer each dancer $350 plus a 10 percent agency fee to appear, sources close to the dancers told The Times.
Smiles said he advocated for the dancers and helped secure a total payout of $109,551: between $7,092 and $7,545 for each dancer. Lizzo’s attorney, Martin Singer, told The Times, “Lizzo had nothing to do with it and knew nothing about it.” None of the 14 dancers who received the settlement are involved in the harassment lawsuit.
Now in August, the dancers filed a lawsuit claiming they were allegedly sexually harassed and weight-shamed. Lizzo said the “false allegations” were “as unbelievable as they sound and too outrageous to not be addressed.” She is currently in the studio making new music.
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