David Del Rio was accused of assaulting co-star Leah Lewis (right) on Paramount property, sources told Deadline on Thursday. Photo: Handout
Matlock star David Del Rio has reportedly been fired from the show after allegedly sexually assaulting a co-star.
Del Rio, 38, was accused of assaulting Leah Lewis on Paramount property, sources told Deadline on Thursday. The alleged incident occurred on Sept 26.
The assault was first reported on Oct 2, and Del Rio was escorted off the Matlock set that same day, the sources said. His character, Billy Martinez, will reportedly be written off the show.
Del Rio was one of the main actors on the series, with his character appearing in all 19 episodes of the first season. Lewis, 28, also appeared in all episodes as the character Sarah Franklin.
While the first half of the second season has already been filmed and will premiere on Sunday, the show has a prescheduled break in production, according to Variety. Del Rio’s character is not expected to appear in the second half of the season.
CBS Studios and Paramount did not immediately respond to a request for comment, however the studio confirmed to TMZ that Del Rio would be written off.
The Matlock reboot, which debuted in 2024, was a surprise hit, with star Kathy Bates earning an Emmy nomination for best actress in a drama. Though she was widely expected to win the award, it was instead claimed by Britt Lower for Severance.
Prior to Matlock, Del Rio starred on a single-season Hulu series, Maddie, and the short-lived ABC drama The Baker And The Beauty. – New York Daily News/Tribune News Service
