Lizzo to face same judge in lawsuits filed by former employees
SANTA MONICA, Calif. - Lizzo and her legal team will have to prove to the same Santa Monica Superior Court judge the rumors aren’t true as the Grammy Award-winning singer faces two separate lawsuits filed by her former employees.
The first lawsuit was filed by three of Lizzo’s former dancers and contains eyebrow-raising allegations, including being weight-shamed and being subject to a hostile work environment, sexual harassment, and false imprisonment.
Lizzo, whose legal name is Melissa Viviane Jefferson, also faces a second lawsuit against her former wardrobe designer, Asha Daniels.
Her suit names as defendants the entertainer; with her production company Big Grrrl Big Touring Inc.; her wardrobe manager, Amanda Nomura; and her tour manager, Carlina Gugliotta.
Daniels designed the wardrobe for the dancers who would be on Lizzo's 2023 tour. The plaintiff's other causes of action include disability discrimination, illegal retaliatory termination and assault. She seeks unspecified compensatory and punitive damages.
Court papers in Daniels' suit state throughout her employment with Lizzo, Daniels heard racist and "fatphobic" comments from Nomura, who mocked both Lizzo and the singer's background dancers on multiple occasions.
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On Tuesday, Santa Monica Superior Court Judge Mark H. Epstein "related" the case filed by Daniels. Essentially, he feels the cases are similar enough that he will preside over both.
Daniels' case had been before Judge H. Jay Ford III before Epstein's ruling.
Lizzo has previously denied the allegations.
City News Services contributed to this report.