Louis C.K. Dropped From Secret Life of Pets 2 by Universal, Illumination

Universal Pictures and Illumination have terminated their relationship with disgraced comedian Louis C.K. for the sequel The Secret Life of Pets 2. He voiced the lead character Max, a Jack Russell terrier, in last years The Secret Life of Pets, which grossed $875 million worldwide and also starred Jenny Slate, Ellie Kemper, and Kevin Hart.

Universal Pictures and Illumination have terminated their relationship with disgraced comedian Louis C.K. for the sequel “The Secret Life of Pets 2.”

He voiced the lead character Max, a Jack Russell terrier, in last year’s “The Secret Life of Pets,” which grossed $875 million worldwide and also starred Jenny Slate, Ellie Kemper, and Kevin Hart. The sequel is scheduled to open on June 7, 2019.

Universal and Illumination made a short one-sentence announcement on Friday afternoon and did not elaborate. The move came a day after the New York Times published a story alleging that C.K. had repeatedly asked women he encountered in work-related environments to watch him masturbate. He confirmed the stories on Friday morning.

“These stories are true,” C.K. said in his statement. “At the time, I said to myself that what I did was okay because I never showed a woman my d— without asking first, which is also true. But what I learned later in life, too late, is that when you have power over another person, asking them to look at your d— isn’t a question. It’s a predicament for them. The power I had over these women is that they admired me. And I wielded that power irresponsibly.”

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FX announced on Friday that, in light of C.K. admitting the allegations against him were true, that it was severing all ties with him and that he would receive no further compensation for any of the shows he produced at the network. That includes “Better Things” and the Zach Galifianakis-led series “Baskets.” Netflix announced it was pulling the plug on a new Louis C.K. stand up special.

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C.K.’s Pig Newton banner has been a major supplier of comedies to the cabler and its production entity including the Amazon comedy “One Mississippi.” C.K.’s clashes with star-creator Tig Notaro helped bring the accusations about his behavior to light. Pig Newton was also behind the TBS animated comedy “The Cops,” which shut down production on Friday “until further review,” the cabler said.

3 Arts, C.K.’s longtime management firm, also cut ties with him on Friday. APA, which represents C.K. for touring, dropped the comedian from its client roster that same day.

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