Weta Digital’s Head Of HR Quits Amid Inquiry Into Claims Of Toxic Workplace

Over the summer, TVNZ’s news division 1 News reported extensively on claims of bullying, sexism, harassment, and a generally “toxic” workplace at the company. To date, the show has gathered testimony from more than 50 current and former staff.

In September, the company commissioned an independent inquiry into the matter at the request of its owners, which include its co-founder Peter Jackson and his partner Fran Walsh. “There is no room for inappropriate behavior of any kind within the company,” it said in a statement at the time. “If crew members feel uncomfortable for any reason, we want to hear about it. All concerns are taken very seriously.”

The inquiry is being led by Miriam Dean QC (Queen’s Counsel, or senior barrister). According to TVNZ, it is expected to wrap up in the coming weeks, by which point Dean will have interviewed close to 200 staff.

Weta Digital sprang to fame through its work on Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy. It has since worked on major productions including Game of Thrones, Avengers: Endgame, and the Avatar films. In June, the company hired Akkaraju and launched a new animation banner as it entered what it calls a “hypergrowth stage.”