Netflix is facing a wrongful termination lawsuit from former Eyeline Studios Vice President and Head of Creative Kevin Baillie, who claims he was fired after disclosing his medically supervised ketamine treatment during a workplace “Vulnerability-Trust” exercise.
The lawsuit argues that the treatment, which Baillie says was prescribed for clinical depression following his mother’s death, became a factor in his dismissal despite being legally administered under medical supervision.
Former executive claims therapy disclosure triggered investigation
According to the lawsuit first shared by The New York Post, Baillie underwent ketamine therapy at a Santa Barbara clinic in late 2022. During a January 2026 company retreat at Netflix’s Sendero Ranch in Northern California, employees participated in a trust-building session where they were encouraged to openly discuss personal experiences.
The lawsuit states that Baillie shared details of his treatment during the exercise. However, he alleges the company later questioned him
“in a manner suggesting suspicion of recreational drug use”
before launching an internal investigation. The complaint further claims that Netflix informed him in April that the
“ketamine therapy issue has factored into the termination.”
Beyond the ketamine disclosure, the lawsuit also references allegations involving profanity and alcohol consumption during the retreat. Baillie claims his performance review had previously advised him to
“drop one or two less f-bombs but don’t stop entirely,”
while another incident involved him performing a Guinness-drinking trick after colleagues encouraged him during the trust exercise.
The filing additionally alleges that alcohol was a regular part of company events under Eyeline Studios leadership, including outings and office gatherings. Baillie argues these circumstances demonstrate inconsistent workplace standards compared with the scrutiny he received. Netflix has not publicly responded to the allegations, and the claims remain unproven in court.
Baillie, a veteran visual effects artist whose credits include the Pirates of the Caribbean and Harry Potter franchises, is seeking a jury trial along with compensatory damages, lost wages, emotional distress damages, punitive damages, and severance benefits he claims were withheld. The lawsuit is expected to proceed through the U.S. court system unless the parties reach a settlement.
