CBS Television Service, Inc. and CBS Studios Inc. have been removed as defendants in the wrongful termination lawsuit brought by actress Briana Thomas last August, Soap Opera Network has learned. Thomas is a former background actress who appeared on “The Young and the Restless” in 2018 and 2019 as a barista.
The motion to dismiss the network and its producing studio was filed by attorneys for Thomas on February 18 and accepted by the court on February 22. Sony Pictures Television Inc., Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc. and “The Young and the Restless” executive producer Anthony Morina remain as defendants in the case brought by Thomas wherein she alleges that during the time Morina had been the show’s supervising producer he sexually harassed her on a number of occasions, stating he would cozy up to her and give her compliments about her looks, often telling her she could “really be something” on the show. After rebuffing him and his advances, including his offer of a “private acting lesson,” Thomas alleges she was subsequently fired from the show.
In early February, Morina filed his legal response to the lawsuit while Sony filed its legal response in December. Additionally, attorneys for Thomas filed a request for dismissal for defendant GEP Cenex, LLC to be dismissed “without prejudice.” The court granted the request without waiving court fees or other costs. The court did the same for its granting the same request for dismissal against CBS.
A jury trial remains scheduled for March 2023.