Netflix exec claims ketamine confession in ‘trust exercise’ cost him $1.1M job: lawsuit
Former Netflix executive Kevin Baillie has sued the streaming giant, according to court papers reported by The New York Post Sunday, after he said he was fired in April from its Eyeline Studios division because he disclosed medically supervised ketamine treatment for depression during a workplace retreat.
"The ketamine therapy issue has factored into the termination," the attorney said, according to the lawsuit.
Baillie, who served as vice president and head of creative at the visual effects division, earned about $1.1 million annually. The complaint said Netflix also denied him as much as one year of severance pay following his dismissal stemming from his comments in January at Netlix-owned Sendero Ranch in Northern California, according to the suit.
He said he underwent ketamine therapy at a Santa Barbara clinic in 2022 while experiencing clinical depression following his mother's death. He said the drug was prescribed and administered under medical supervision, according to the report.
The executive disclosed the treatment during a vulnerability-trust exercise that encouraged employees to share personal experiences. When a Netflix investigator questioned him March 18, the complaint said the therapy was presented as potential recreational drug use.
The investigator raised the treatment "in a manner suggesting suspicion of recreational drug use," the complaint said, according to the Post.
Baillie said the company’s investigation also examined allegations that he used profanity and consumed alcohol. His previous performance review had addressed his language but did not direct him to stop swearing entirely.
"Drop one or two less f-bombs but don’t stop entirely," the performance review said, according to the complaint.
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The lawsuit said Baillie also told colleagues during the retreat that his former father-in-law had taught him to drink a Guinness while standing on his head. A colleague then asked Baillie to demonstrate the trick.
"His colleague immediately asked for a demonstration," the complaint said. "Rather than withhold the openness that the session had encouraged, he performed the trick."
Netflix’s public culture memo promotes vulnerability and candor while describing the company as a professional sports team rather than a family. Managers apply a "keeper test" when deciding whether to retain employees, although the memo also said workers should receive regular feedback and be evaluated on their entire record.
"If the answer is no, we believe it’s fairer to everyone to part ways quickly," Netflix said of the "keeper test," which entails candidly assessing if one would fight to keep a worker if they wanted to leave, or if they would hire the person again if they knew everything they do now.
"You willingly receive and give feedback; you are open about what’s working and what needs to improve; you admit mistakes openly and share learnings widely," the site states.
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Ketamine is a Schedule III controlled substance that is federally approved as an anesthetic and is also prescribed off-label for depression. The FDA has separately approved the ketamine-derived nasal spray Spravato for treatment-resistant depression under medical supervision.
Baillie is seeking a jury trial, lost wages, compensatory and punitive damages and damages for emotional distress. He previously worked on visual effects for the "Pirates of the Caribbean" and "Harry Potter" franchises.
Netflix had not publicly responded to his allegations as of Monday. Fox News Digital reached out to Baillie and Netflix for comment, but did not immediately receive a response.