Netflix Faces a Huge Problem

Netflix is facing legal action over what a former reality TV contestant claims were "predatory" contract practices and that she was forced to live with a man she was "utterly terrified" of.

Renee Poche appeared on season five of Netflix's show, Love Is Blind, in 2022 and is suing the streaming giant and the production company, Delirium, which makes the show.

She told Newsweek her experience on Love Is Blind was "traumatic" and said she was forced to take legal action after Delirium sued her for $4 million for speaking out publicly about her alleged experiences. She earned $8,000 for appearing on the show.

"My experience on Love is Blind was traumatic. I felt like a prisoner and had no support when I let Delirium know that I didn't feel safe. I tried to deal with these emotions over time, and eventually felt like I needed to share what had happened," Poche said.

Poche spoke out so others could know "the truth of what all of the cast mates had to endure."

"I believe Delirium is trying to silence the abuse that occurs behind the cameras and ruin me for telling the truth," she said.

Newsweek reached out to Netflix and Delirium via email for comment.

The reality show, which has been a runaway hit for Netflix, sees 15 men and 15 women date each other without meeting in person or even seeing them first. They can then decide to get engaged at the end of the series, and only then will they see each other. Once engaged, the couple move in together, plan their wedding, and see if they really are connected.

In the legal documents seen by Newsweek, Poche is suing Netflix and Delirium for breach of contract and slammed its legal action against her, saying the non-disclosure agreement she signed was unlawful.

The lawsuit says someone from Delirium reached out to Poche via Instagram to be on the show about one month before filming was set to begin in April 2022. Upon arriving to Los Angeles to begin filming production staff seized Poche's "phone, passport, and driver's license."

Poche claimed she felt like a "prisoner" when not filming because she would be locked in her hotel room and not allowed to interact with anyone else.

Another complaint in the lawsuit alleged Poche was paid a weekly $1,000 stipend but was led to believe it could be "clawed back" and that she could be sued "unless she agreed to all of production's demands."

Poche, a veterinarian from Texas, was also led to believe all contestants would undergo rigorous background checks and psychological evaluations before being allowed to appear on the show. This was supposedly done to identify any "red flags" or physical danger they might pose to others. She was also told participants were paired based on compatibility and marriage potential, the lawsuit says.

Paired with a man identified as Carter Wall in the court documents, Poche said she eventually felt "utterly terrified" of him and that he "lied malignantly," including telling her that he was a "6-foot, 5-inch former football player."

According to the court documents, Wall was violent, misused drugs and alcohol, was homeless and "broke."

"Given the background check process, there is little doubt that [Netflix and Delirium] had knowledge of these troubling issues, the lawsuit reads.

The veterinarian said Wall was emotionally abusive and his behavior even led one camera operator to quit after being physically threatened.

"Production was well aware of Wall's mental instability," the lawsuit reads.

Eventually, it was decided that Poche and Wall's episodes would not air on the show and she was told at the time it was because production did not want her to be triggered by reliving the torment, according to the lawsuit. However, she says she learned later that Wall allegedly threatened to end his life if his episodes aired and that it was the real reason the episodes were axed.

"Poche was utterly terrified of Wall. Nonetheless, she was forced to spend long stretches of time alone with him—every minute of which she felt unsafe," reads the lawsuit. "Despite knowing about Wall's behavior and Poche's concerns, Defendants made it clear that Poche would subject herself to legal action if she were to discontinue her participation in the Program or otherwise refuse to move forward with the engagement.

"Astonishingly, production even admonished her for 'not giving him a chance' and encouraged her to continue filming with him."

Poche hired lawyers Bryan Freedman and Mark Geragos, the Hollywood power attorneys also representing former The Real Housewives of New York star Bethenny Frankel.

In July, Frankel called on reality TV show contestants not to film any more episodes until there was an overhaul of the industry, which included improvements to conditions, pay and better mental health support.

"At first, I thought that these reality contracts were some sort of prank," Geragos told Newsweek, adding that since Frankel went public with her story, they have been "inundated with hundreds of clients who all tell almost identical stories of being emotionally, physically, and sexually assaulted."

"These clients live in fear of being sued for millions if they report workplace wrongdoing and have been misled that they must suffer in silence or, like Renee, be bullied by lawsuits seeking to financially ruin them."

Geragos described the alleged practices as "not just rampant but part of a dirty industry secret."

Frankel's campaign comes as part of a wider discussion around the responsibility of networks and production companies when it comes to protecting the welfare of their contestants.

In 2023, British network ITV introduced a duty of care policy for its show Love Island after two contestants and former host Caroline Flack died by suicide after appearing on the series.

Some of the policies include supporting contestants before, during and after going into the villa, training on how to handle social media trolling and provide them with resources on how to identify coercive control and toxic behavior in relationships.

If you have thoughts of suicide, confidential help is available for free at the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Call 1-800-273-8255. The line is available 24 hours every day.