Posted on 10/10/2025 9:37:30 AM PDT by nickcarraway
Matlock series regular David Del Rio has abruptly exited the hit CBS legal drama following an investigation into a sexual assault allegation, Deadline has learned. According to sources, the alleged incident occurred Sept. 26 and involved fellow Matlock series regular Leah Lewis.
A report of the incident, which we hear happened in Lewis’ trailer, triggered immediate action by the series’ producers and the studio behind Matlock, CBS Studios. Following an internal investigation by the studio, Del Rio was fired and escorted off the Paramount lot the same day the alleged assault was reported, which we hear was Oct. 2. According to sources, Matlock executive producer Eric Christian Olsen was among those who led him away.
Filming on Matlock continued after Del Rio’s firing. Matlock is set to go on a pre-planned hiatus next week after wrapping the first half of Season 2 this week, with production slated to resume after Thanksgiving. Given the sudden nature of Del Rio’s departure, the Matlock creative team will have to rework scripts to write his character off.
UPDATE: Hours after Deadline’s report was published, Lewis posted a photo of her and her mom on her Instagram stories with the caption, “Mom is here. We’re moving forward in love and strength. I’m in good hands. Thank you to everybody for any kind of support and care. Truly, we’re moving forward in strength. Key word, strength. Let that be the takeaway.” (You can see it below.)
Del Rio is yet to publicly comment on the accusations an his dismissal from Matlock. The Instagram account of his wife, actress and chef Katherine Del Rio, briefly posted and deleted a story Thursday night which featured a zoomed-in picture of Lewis’ face from today’s photo with her mom. It was accompanied by the caption, “This is the most disturbing human being I have ever met.”
Katherine Del Rio subsequently posted and deleted an IG story that mirrored Lewis’, referencing her by name. Del Rio shared a photo of her and her mom with the caption: “Mom is here. We’re moving forward in love and strength after what Leah did to our family. Thank you all for the love and support!” (You can see it below.)
On Matlock, Del Rio played Billy Martinez, a first-year associate at Jacobson Moore, the law firm which hired Madeline “Matty” Matlock (Kathy Bates) — claiming to be a widowed lawyer — to work under Olympia Lawrence (Skye P. Marshall).
In addition to Bates, Marshall and Lewis, Matlock’s main cast also includes Jason Ritter.
The series tackled the topic of sexual assault In Episode 3 of its first season, in which Matlock (Bates) takes over the case of a young lawyer claiming that she was sexually assaulted by her boss.
Season 2 of Matlock premieres Oct. 12.
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The first series wasn’t very good.
Just a side note on this character in the series; her name is Sarah. She is a lesbian and the little snippets of her character are her lusting after another girl within the firm.
It is almost as though there is a LGBTQP+ requirement for every show on TV today. Sarah is the LGBTQ girl!
Not exactly: she takes the name Matlock and specifically says, “Like the lawyer on TV”. And it’s not a bad show, even considering that the victim in this real-life assault plays a lesbian.
They’re just following the same script. The original Matlock fired an actor for drug use.
Lol. Not my type!
No. She is a retired lawyer infiltrating a law firm she blames for the death of her daughter. She references the Andy Griffith show when she introduces herself, saying she loved the show and it influenced her. She is trying to find evidence to identify and bring down whoever contributed to her daughter’s death. My wife and I watch the show and enjoy it. Not woke to any great extent.
Pretty shocking. He projects a really “nice guy” vibe on the show. I’m often on the side of women in these matters, but I hope they had video evidence and are not just taking the woman’s word. He is married with small children.
It's a really good show, and Kathy Bates, age 77, is an outstanding actress in the lead role. The show requires viewers who pay attention to details, so that lets a lot of people out, I realize. But it was, indeed, signed on for a second season because it got the well deserved ratings.
Replying to all—if my comments don't apply to you, please don't take them personally.
The role of the lead character gives encouragement to the many women (as well as men) of accomplishment who find themselves ignored or sidelined due to age. The character is dismissed at first, but soon proves her worth in a high-powered firm. Yes, it's just an actress reading a script; but Bates' own intelligence illuminates the role.
Kathy Bates has won literally scores of the major awards for her work, and is a joy to watch. Scroll down for the list:
My comment was about the series with Andy Griffith. It wasn’t very good or realistic IMHO. It wasn’t saturated with hero LGBT characters however.
They could have chosen any name out of the phone book. Smith, Jones, O’Dell, Goldberg, Muhammed, Rodriguez, but no, they go with Matlock. So creative.
So a 77 year old woman out smarts a lot of younger policemen and attorneys. You do know, of course, in real life IQ declines somewhat with age. If you think it is a really good TV, so be it. Who knows, maybe in the future there will be an episode where she throws around a couple of 250 pound linebackers. I am sure they will be white males.
Oh, I’m quite sure Matlock is a good show. Can’t go wrong with Andy Griffith, I was just makin’ fun.
Yeah, hiding your identity is encouraging, especially for all those who couldn't do it. Naming it Matlock shows they weren't aiming for young hip viewers. The original Matlock aired 40 years ago.
These shows are part of the big lie that someone, or some team, of special people are looking out for you. Some are in specially created government assignments. Some are quirky geniuses who sacrifice just to protect you or cure your medical condition. They'll spare no expense. They'll even fly around the country in corporate jets to help anyone in need. Some will even break the law to look out for you. Intelligent, virtuous renegades all.
Because don't you dare awaken and realize none of it is true. Don't you demand actual protection from real criminals. Don't you demand actual justice for real crimes. Don't you demand big pharma / big medical be broken up for perpetuating ongoing prescriptions instead of curing diseases. Don't you awaken and realize that YOU are the first responder.
Here's just a quick list of the fantasy shows that someone or some team of special people will make sure you're looked out for:
-Chicago P.D. (and Chicago Med)
-Criminal Minds
-CSI (plus Miami, CSI New York, CSI Los Angeles)
-FBI (plus FBI: International and FBI: Most Wanted)
-Hawaii 5-0 (especially the 2010-2020 remake)
-House
-Law & Order (plus Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit)
-The Blacklist
-The Mentalist
"So you listen to me. Listen to me. Television is not the truth. Television is a goddamn amusement park. Television is a circus, a carnival, a traveling troupe of acrobats, storytellers, dancers, singers, jugglers, sideshow freaks, lion tamers, and football players. We're in the boredom killing business.
So if you want the truth go to God. Go to your gurus. Go to yourselves! Because that's the only place you're ever going to find any real truth.
But man, you're never going to get any truth from us. We'll tell you anything you want to hear. We lie like hell. We'll tell you that, uh, Kojak always gets the killer, and that nobody ever gets cancer in Archie Bunker's house, and no matter how much trouble the hero is in, don't worry, just look at your watch. At the end of the hour, he's going to win.
We'll tell you any shit you want to hear. We deal in illusions, man. None of it is true!
But you people sit there; day after day, night after night, all ages, colors, creeds. We're all you know. You're beginning to believe the illusions we're spinning here. You're beginning to think that the tube is reality and that your own lives are unreal. You do whatever the tube tells you! You're dressed like the tube. You eat like the tube. You raise your children like the tube. You even think like the tube! This is mass madness, you maniacs! In God's name you people are the real thing! We are the illusion!
So, turn off your television sets. Turn them off now. Turn them off right now. Turn them off and leave them off. Turn them off right in the middle of a sentence I'm speaking to you now. Turn them off!"
- Howard Beale "Network" 1976
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5Gf0VKXk5Q
Recasting can work as well...it’s been done before and worked.
As a fan of the original series I tried watching the first episode of this show and could not get through it. Just too much perverted innuendo - the scene where the “Matlock” character was discussing with another old woman in vivid detail and graphic language how their sex organs operate was the final straw that resulted in the clicking of the remote.
Yeah, and the prior show is just the “show” in the universe of this new show. “yes, I’m a lawyer named Matlock, just like the old TV show.”
Couldn’t get through the first episode as noted above.
“They could have chosen any name out of the phone book. Smith, Jones, O’Dell, Goldberg, Muhammed, Rodriguez, but no, they go with Matlock. So creative.”
That’s the thing, they call it IP farming. Taking an existing IP that a lot of people put hard work into and re use it with a gender or race swap. (Ever notice how these swaps are always one way?) An African American X-Files series is currently in production.
And as far as female role models are concerned, I doubt there’s much time in the show dedicated to good cooking and how to sew.
ERIC CHRISTIAN OLSEN IS A FORMER CAST MEMBER OF NCIS/LOS ANGELES===MARTY DEEKS
“We enjoy the show, but the name was not familiar. Here he is”
We watch the show, those two actors are often in the same scene together. The play associates hoping to climb the ladder at the Law Firm that Matlock “Kathy Bates” works at.
It’s a great series.
The first season was very good. Kathy Bates does a great job.
Yeah. I hope they don’t continue with story line. The kiss ... 🤮
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