Former ABC producer sues Matt Gutman, ABC over harassment, termination

A former ABC News field producer has filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court alleging that veteran correspondent Matt Gutman created a hostile work environment through sexual harassment and that the network, along with its parent company The Walt Disney Company, wrongfully terminated her in 2025 after she requested mental health accommodations. The complaint, filed on August 15, 2026, names Gutman, ABC News, and Disney as defendants.

The lawsuit centers on two alleged incidents from several years ago when the plaintiff, identified as Samira Said, and Gutman worked together at ABC. In one instance, while waiting in a public line during an assignment, Gutman allegedly initiated a discussion rating the appearance of a female correspondent and reducing her professional standing to a numerical score. Male crew members reportedly joined in and solicited Said's views, which she declined, stating the conversation was inappropriate. In a separate incident during a press day for a film release, Said and Gutman disagreed about whether the team should leave the work site. In front of multiple coworkers, Gutman allegedly responded with a sexualized insinuation that Said must have an...