'The Umbrella Academy' showrunner accused by 12 former staff members of 'toxic' behavior. He called the allegations 'false and outrageous.'

• Twelve staff members accused "The Umbrella Academy" showrunner Steve Blackman of "toxic" behavior.
• Blackman called the allegations "completely false and outrageous."

A showrunner on "The Umbrella Academy" has been accused by 12 former staff members of "toxic" behavior, including bullying and sexism, while working on the cult Netflix show.

"The Umbrella Academy," which premiered on the streamer in 2019 and has run for three seasons, follows a group of superheroes who were adopted by a mysterious billionaire.

It was adapted from the Dark Horse Comics series of the same name by Gerard Way, the singer of the rock band My Chemical Romance, and Gabriel Bá, a Brazilian comic-book artist.

The show has been fairly successful for the streaming service, with audiences watching over 2.4 billion minutes of it in the week following the season-three premiere in 2022, Deadline reported, citing Nielsen streaming rankings. Its fourth and final season will be released on Netflix on August 8.

Rolling Stone spoke to 12 former writers and support staff who worked on "The Umbrella Academy" about their experiences with the showrunner Steve Blackman. Most of them chose to remain anonymous because they were concerned their careers could be affected.

The publication also reviewed several documents and complaints that suggested Blackman pitted writers against each other, made inappropriate comments to staff, and attempted to take credit for other people's work.

A complaint made by the 12 staff members in January 2023 to the human-resources department of Universal Content Productions, which produced the show for Netflix, said Blackman had a "long history of toxic, bullying, manipulative, and retaliatory behavior," Rolling Stone reported Sunday.

One writer said her contract wasn't extended in season two because she was pregnant.

"He told me he fired them because one was pregnant and didn't tell him," another writer said, referring to the pregnant woman and her writing partner.

Jesse McKeown, the co-showrunner of "The Umbrella Academy" season four, told Rolling Stone that he butted heads with Blackman over another writer's pay.

"I always sort of carried that around thinking, 'OK, that was clear retaliation, [but] he would never do that to me.' It happened to me eventually, and a whole bunch of other people in between" he told the outlet.

The Writers Guild of America went on strike in 2023 for better pay and fairer conditions for TV and movie writers. Sources who spoke to Rolling Stones said the allegations surrounding Blackman indicated that showrunners can contribute to unpleasant working conditions.

Being in charge of a TV series at a time when streaming services are desperate to make the next era-defining show is no easy task, especially one as complex as "The Umbrella Academy."

But times have changed as a result of the #MeToo movement and recent Hollywood strikes; people feel more empowered to speak out about abuse or toxicity they've faced in the industry.

Blackman's representatives denied the accusations in a statement to Rolling Stone, calling them "entirely untrue" and "completely absurd."

"Over six years and four seasons overseeing thousands of crew, actors, and writers, Steve Blackman led 'The Umbrella Academy' to become a beloved series with devoted fans, enthralling stories, and a dedicated team making it all possible," the representatives said.

"These allegations from a handful of disgruntled employees are completely false and outrageous, and in no way reflect the collaborative, respectful, and successful working environment Mr. Blackman has cultivated," they added.

Representatives for Blackman and Netflix did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.