A former Netflix executive, Kevin Baillie, has filed a lawsuit against the company, alleging wrongful termination after he revealed using medically prescribed ketamine during a “trust exercise” at a company retreat. Baillie, who held the position of vice president and head of creative at Eyeline Studios, a Netflix division, claims his disclosure led to an investigation and subsequent dismissal.
According to the lawsuit, Baillie underwent ketamine therapy in October and November of 2022 at a Santa Barbara clinic for clinical depression following his mother's death. He stated the treatment was medically supervised. The incident leading to his termination occurred in January 2026 at Netflix's Sendero Ranch in Northern California, during a retreat focused on vulnerability and trust.
Baillie asserts that he explained the medical reasons for his ketamine use to his colleagues. However, the suit claims that a company investigator later brought up the incident on March 18, 2026, in a manner that suggested suspicion of recreational drug use. Baillie was fired in April, with the company's attorney reportedly confirming that the ketamine therapy issue was a factor in the termination. The lawsuit also suggests Baillie was denied up to a year of severance pay.
The suit further alleges that the scope of the investigation into Baillie's conduct extended to profanity and drinking. Baillie claims he had previously been advised in a performance review to reduce his use of expletives but not to eliminate it entirely. At the same retreat, Baillie reportedly demonstrated a headstand Guinness drinking trick he learned from his former father-in-law, which he performed when a colleague requested a demonstration, embracing the openness encouraged by the session.
Baillie's lawsuit also characterizes the company environment at Eyeline Studios as allegedly alcohol-fueled, with encouragement from CEO Jeff Shapiro. The suit details instances where Shapiro reportedly purchased beer for the group during company outings and maintained a personal bar in his office from which he served alcohol, including after a meeting with Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos.
Baillie is seeking a jury trial for compensatory damages, lost wages, emotional distress damages, and punitive damages. Representatives for Netflix and Eyeline Studios were contacted for comment.