Former ‘Shrinking’ Assistant Director Sues Warner Bros. Television, Alleging Wrongful Termination and Sexual Harassment

A former assistant director on the Apple TV+ comedy “Shrinking” has filed a lawsuit against Warner Bros. Television and the show’s executive producer, alleging she was fired after reporting wage theft and sexual misconduct on the production.

The plaintiff, Mindy Tessa McKoin, worked as a key second assistant director on “Shrinking” for multiple seasons. She filed the complaint Tuesday in Los Angeles Superior Court against Warner Bros. Television, executive producer and director Randall Winston, and other defendants. The suit brings seven claims, including sexual harassment, battery, retaliation, failure to prevent harassment and wrongful termination, and seeks unspecified damages.

According to the complaint, the incident at the center of the harassment claim took place at the show’s Season 2 wrap party on June 22, 2024. McKoin alleges that while she was seated at a bar speaking with a coworker, Winston approached her from behind and, without her consent, “grabbed and groped her left breast.”

She says she reported the conduct to her direct supervisor in late 2024 or early 2025, and that Warner Bros. had notice of the allegation but took no corrective action. The filing states that Winston “retained his position and his directing assignments on ‘Shrinking’ through Season 4, and was present on set as late as July 8, 2026 — two days before Plaintiff was fired.”

Separately, McKoin alleges that the production altered her timecards, and those of other crew members, to reflect fewer hours than they actually worked. The complaint states she raised written complaints about unpaid wages and altered time records on several dates in May, June, and July 2026.

After one such complaint, she says she was called into a closed-door meeting and accused of “speaking disrespectfully” to crew during a prior tech scout. McKoin’s attorney, Avi Gholian, argues in the filing that no “performance deficiency, misconduct, or business rationale” for her termination was ever identified.

McKoin was fired on July 10, 2026. According to Deadline, an executive producer told her at the time that the decision reflected “different needs of production.” The lawsuit disputes that explanation, noting McKoin says she was never disciplined or written up during her three seasons on the show, and that her firing came within 90 days of her wage and timecard complaints — a timeframe her filing cites in support of the retaliation claim.

Warner Bros. Television has denied the allegations. According to TheWrap, the studio said an independent investigation found McKoin’s claims “unsubstantiated and unsupported.” Neither Winston nor a representative for him has issued a public statement on the lawsuit as of this reporting.

“Shrinking,” which stars Jason Segel and Harrison Ford, is produced for Apple TV+ by Warner Bros. Television and Doozer Productions. The show received 10 Emmy nominations in 2026 but did not win at the ceremony held September 14, days before the lawsuit was filed.

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