Leah Lewis, the star of the CBS drama Matlock, has confirmed that filming for the second season has resumed, months after she accused her co-star, David Del Rio, of sexual assault, leading to his removal from the show, per parade.com.
The actress, who plays lawyer Sarah Franklin in the series, took to her Instagram story on Monday, December 1, to share the news, posting a smiling photograph from the studio lot in front of a trailer, captioned: “@matlockcbs. And we back up and running.”
The development follows a tumultuous period for the production. News of the alleged assault, which reportedly occurred in late September, broke a few months ago. Following an internal investigation by CBS and the production company, Del Rio was promptly dismissed from the Paramount lot on October 2, the same day the official report was filed. He has since been written out of all future episodes.
Del Rio, who has made no official public comment on the matter, has reportedly engaged the services of high-profile defence attorney Shawn Holley.
Following the incident, Lewis posted a photo with her mother, assuring fans of her well-being, stating she was in “good hands” and adding: “Thank you to everybody for any kind of support and care. Truly, we’re moving forward in strength.”
Matlock had gone through a pre-planned hiatus over the Thanksgiving period following the incident, having only just premiered its second season on CBS on October 12. Producers are now faced with the task of adjusting the show’s storyline to address Del Rio’s sudden and permanent absence.
•Featured image: Leah Lewis/Getty I
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