A wave of intense news has hit the set of CBS’s upcoming drama, Matlock. Star Leah Lewis recently shared a powerful message after the sudden dismissal of her co-star, David Del Rio. The reason for his departure stems from serious accusations of sexual assault made by Lewis herself.
Lewis, who is 28, took to Instagram on Thursday, October 9, to address the situation. She posted a heartfelt photo hugging her mother. Her caption read, "Mom is here, we are moving forward with love and strength." She added that she feels she is "in good hands." Lewis also expressed thanks for the outpouring of support. "Truly, we are moving forward with strength," she reiterated, stressing, "Keyword, strength. Please let that be the lesson."
News of Del Rio’s firing broke on the same day as Lewis’s statement. Sources confirmed that CBS was made aware of the alleged incident. The network quickly launched an internal investigation. Deadline, which first reported the story, detailed the timeline of events. The alleged incident between Lewis and Del Rio, 38, happened on September 26. CBS received a report about the alleged assault on October 2. Following a swift investigation, Del Rio was fired. He was escorted off the set on that very same day the report was made.
Filming for the second season of Matlock has continued despite Del Rio’s abrupt exit. His character is expected to be written out of the show later on. The production will soon take a break, starting next week and lasting until November. Work will pick back up after Thanksgiving. Us Weekly has reached out to both CBS and Del Rio for their comments on the matter.
In the legal drama, Lewis plays Sarah Franklin, a first-year associate. Veteran actress Kathy Bates stars as the lead, Madeline "Matty" Matlock. Del Rio previously played Billy Martinez, another first-year associate and Sarah’s best friend. Both characters worked at Jacobson Moore alongside Matty.
Interestingly, Lewis had praised Del Rio’s work just last month. She told Us Weekly in September that she learned a lot about comedy from him. She highlighted his theater background. Lewis described their time on set, saying it was "like we’re always dancing and shining."
The first season of Matlock ended on a cliffhanger. Viewers learned that Billy’s nearly-fiancée, played by Bella Ortiz, was pregnant. Show creator Jennie Snyder Urman had assured Us Weekly that fans would "get the answers we’ve been promising." Urman also shared insights into the show’s production. She mentioned it was "difficult and interesting" to film episode 17 while episode 1 was airing. She added that being "on air" now means they are "in conversation with the audience." Urman strives to be mindful of this connection without being completely tied down, allowing the story to unfold naturally. She always believes that "if there’s a problem — and they’re finding it — I can fix it more and more." Her goal is for the story to be "the best and most solid possible."
With season 2 set to premiere on October 12, it is likely that Del Rio’s character won’t be seen exiting until after the show’s planned production break.
Season 2 of Matlock airs on CBS starting Monday, October 12, at 8:30 p.m. ET. The second episode will air on Thursday, October 16, at 9 p.m. ET.