A former visual effects executive for Netflixhas reportedly filed a lawsuit against the streaming giant, alleging he was terminated from his $1.1 million-a-year position after disclosing his use of medically prescribed ketamine during a trust exercise at an executive retreat
Kevin Baillie, who served as vice president and head of creative at Eyeline Studios, is seeking compensatory damages, lost wages and punitive damages in a court filing detailing the circumstances around his dismissal in April 2026
According to legal documents seen by the New York Post, the controversy stems from a January 2026 “Vulnerability-Trust exercise” held at Sendero Ranch, a Netflix-owned property in Northern California. During the exercise, Baillie disclosed that he had undergone supervised ketamine treatments at a Santa Barbara clinic in late 2022 to treat clinical depression following the death of his mother
The lawsuit states that Netflix then opened an inquiry into the matter. By mid-March, a company investigator questioned Baillie about the medical treatments, framing the inquiry in a way that implied potential recreational drug use, according to the court filings
Baillie claims a Netflix attorney later confirmed the ketamine disclosure influenced his termination, which he alleges also cost him up to a year of severance pay
Beyond the medical therapy, the lawsuit describes a broader workplace culture in which corporate leaders encouraged drinking and informal behavior. Baillie alleges that Eyeline Studios CEO Jeff Shapiro maintained a personal bar in his office — where he served alcohol after meetings with top executives, including Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos — and purchased alcohol for employees during company trips
The court papers also outline an incident at the January retreat where Baillie drank a pint of Guinness while standing on his head after colleagues requested a demonstration
The filing notes that during a prior performance evaluation, management had advised Baillie to slightly reduce his use of profanity without eliminating it entirely
Baillie, whose career includes visual effects work on major franchises such as Harry Potterand Pirates of the Caribbean, has reportedly requested a jury trial for the suit, which also seeks compensation for emotional distress
The Independent has contacted Netflix for comment
