Netflix’s former director of kids & family acquisitions and co-commissions Amy Takahara is accusing the company of wrongful termination, gender bias and fostering a toxic workplace.

These claims have surfaced in a legal complaint that was amended and refiled yesterday with more details (a copy of which was obtained by Deadline here), following an original May 21 filing in Los Angeles Superior Court. The suit takes aim at the streaming giant and specifically names Edward Horasz, director of kids & tweens live-action co-commissions and content licensing. 

During her nearly seven-year run at Netflix that ended in February 2025, Takahara alleges that Horasz created an environment where she faced “constant gender discrimination and sex harassment that demeaned and humiliated her, [which] negatively affected her ability to do her job, and ultimately caused her lost career opportunities and emotional distress,” according to the lawsuit.

Takahara accuses Horasz of denying her credit for brainstorming a vampire-themed show with John Derderian (VP of content and head of animated series), as well as for her role in spearheading popular Netflix teen drama Geek Girl. In an animation forum, Horasz is accused of having presented Geek Girl in a manner that did not make Takahara’s involvement clear—something the suit says was pointed out by fellow exec Heather Tilert, director of kids & preschool original series.

The filing lists multiple other alleged instances of “misogynistic actions and comments” by Horasz. Some of these include him saying that Takahara “nagged” him like a wife; responding to female execs pitching an aged-up adaptation of the kids book The Worst Witch by asking “So this is witches with titties?”; and complaining about a female subordinate announcing her pregnancy after a medical leave.

Takahara says she brought her concerns regarding Horasz to Netflix HR more than once, including a January 2025 meeting in which she asked to be assigned to another position internally. That same month, the complaint recounts a tense one-on-one meeting in which Horasz allegedly responded to Takahara’s complaints about him undermining her by saying, “Amy, you’re spiraling. This clearly isn’t good for your mental health, so we should just part ways.”

The lawsuit claims this was an unlawful termination and also alleges a “failure to remedy the discrimination and harassment or take any corrective measures” on Netflix’s part.

In response to the lawsuit, a Netflix spokesperson says: “Ms. Takahara’s position was eliminated after the team was downsized. Her claims lack merit, and we believe the proceedings will prove it.”

Takahara has since launched a consulting firm called Sigma Girl Media, which is focused on helping develop kids & family content. Yesterday, she shared this statement on social media: “It’s never easy to speak out, especially against a company where you’ve invested years of your life and built work you’re proud of. But after six and a half years at Netflix, I felt I could no longer stay silent about the inequities and experiences that so many women, myself included, have quietly endured.”

“This step wasn’t taken lightly,” she wrote. “My hope is that it helps open the door for honest dialogue, accountability and lasting change.”