Dan Spilo, the manager-producer ousted from Industry Entertainment after incidents on the Australian set of action film Runner which led to his dismissal by clients Alan Ritchson and Kal Penn, has issued his first statement on recent events.
This comes after a wild couple of days for Spilo, stemming from incidents on the Australia set of indie action thriller Runner, in which his one-time client Alan Ritchson stars. Originally a producer on the project, he was fired for cause after at least one incident of inappropriate behavior on Runner that included bullying and yelling at crew. This came following an HR investigation, the findings of which resulted in both Spilo’s biggest client, Ritchson, and actor Penn cutting ties with the manager as a result. Below, Spilo falls on his sword.
“I take full responsibility for my actions and am stepping back from work to focus on my mental health,” he said. “During production, I was warned I was having a nervous breakdown, but I kept pushing through, which was a mistake. My behavior was unacceptable and unrecognizable to me and while there’s no excuse, I’m committed to understanding and addressing the personal issues that led me here. For 25 years, I’ve dedicated myself to protecting, supporting, and guiding my clients and while I don’t expect forgiveness, I hope this moment doesn’t define the entirety of my career. I am now focused on healing and doing the work to be better.”
Spilo’s statement comes an hour after it was announced that he would be exiting Industry Entertainment “effective immediately.”
“Industry Entertainment is committed to providing a safe and respectful working environment,” the company’s remaining partners said in a statement of their own. “We take very seriously the recent allegations of inappropriate conduct on the set of the film “Runner” related to Dan Spilo, and are conducting a thorough investigation. The Industry partners requested that he step away from the company, and he has agreed to do so, effective immediately.”
The partners expressed that “as a matter of policy and practice, Industry Entertainment has zero tolerance for harassment, abuse, or misconduct—no matter the individual’s position or tenure. Our commitment to a safe, respectful, and inclusive environment applies to everyone, without exception. We recognize our responsibility to foster a workplace culture that prioritizes the well-being and dignity of every individual.”
Spilo declined to comment when contacted by Deadline this week, but sources close to the producer conceded to a “heated exchange” on set. They at the same time painted a different picture of events, suggesting that while things did get awkward in the aftermath of the on-set dispute, Spilo chose to leave of his own accord, recognizing what was best for the project. Emotions were high for Spilo, we were told, as he’s recently been dealing with the health challenges of a family member in Israel, which is where he set off for as soon as he was dismissed from the project.
