Leah Lewis has opened up about David Del Rio’s termination from Matlock following allegations of sexual assault directed at her.
In her Instagram Story on Thursday, October 9, Lewis, 28, shared, “My mom is with me, and we’re moving forward with love and fortitude. I’m in good hands,” accompanied by a heartwarming image of herself embracing her mother. “Thank you to everyone for your support and care. We are genuinely moving forward with strength.”
The actress emphasized, “Strength is the key takeaway here. Please hold onto that.”
The day began with reports revealing that Del Rio, 38, was let go from the CBS show after Lewis accused her co-star of sexual misconduct. Us Weekly confirmed that CBS was informed of the alleged event and promptly initiated an internal inquiry.
According to a report from Deadline, the incident involving Lewis and Del Rio allegedly occurred on September 26. CBS was notified of the incident on October 2. Del Rio was reportedly “dismissed and removed from the premises the same day that the allegation was made,” the outlet states.
Production on Matlock is still underway for its second season, following Del Rio’s sudden departure, as per Deadline. His character is expected to be written out in upcoming episodes. The show plans to take a break starting next week until November, having completed the initial half of the season, with filming resuming after Thanksgiving.
Us has contacted CBS and Del Rio for statements regarding the situation.
Lewis portrays first-year associate Sarah Franklin in the legal series featuring Kathy Bates as the lead character. Del Rio’s character, Billy Martinez, was a first-year associate and best friend to Sarah, working alongside Madeline “Matty” Matlock.
Prior to the allegations, Lewis had expressed her admiration for working with Del Rio.
“David Del Rio, who plays Billy, is my counterpart, and I’ve gained so much comedic insight from him,” she shared with Us in September 2024. “His theater background means we’re always energetic and creative on set.”
Season 1 culminated in a cliffhanger revealing that Billy’s former fiancée (Bella Ortiz) is expecting a child. Show creator Jennie Snyder Urman had previously hinted to Us that fans would receive the answers they’ve been waiting for.
Urman also shared, “It was both challenging and intriguing to be in this bubble where we were filming episode 17 while the first episode was being aired. We were already committed to the story and engaging in conversations with the audience, which adds a unique layer to the process, though I strive to remain adaptable in crafting our narrative.”
Urman added, “Whenever challenges arise, I am eager to find solutions and continuously refine our narrative. My goal is to ensure that our story remains strong and cohesive.”
As the season 2 premiere is slated for October 12, Del Rio’s character is unlikely to be seen until after the upcoming break.
Matlock season 2 is set to debut on CBS on Monday, October 12, at 8:30 p.m. ET, with Episode 2 following on Thursday, October 16, at 9 p.m. ET.
