Netflix executive fired from $1.1m-a-year job over what he revealed at company ‘trust’ retreat, lawsuit alleges
A Netflix executive was fired from his high-paying job after he revealed during a company ‘trust’ retreat that he had previously taken medically prescribed ketamine, according to a lawsuit.
Kevin Baillie, the vice president and head of creative at Eyeline Studios, is suing the streaming service after it launched an investigation into his revelation and dismissed him for the confession, according to the New York Post.
Eyeline is the unified visual effects (VFX) and virtual production brand owned by Netflix.
Baillie, who made $1.1 million a year in his role, attended the retreat at the Sendero Ranch, an exclusive property in Northern California that is owned by the streaming giant, in January, the filing read.
During a ‘vulnerability-trust exercise,’ Baillie, 48, revealed that he took the drug under medical supervision in October and November 2022 at a Santa Barbara clinic to treat his clinical depression after the death of his mother, per the lawsuit.
According to Baillie, who was on the VFX team for hit franchises like Pirates of the Caribbean and Harry Potter, he explained the reason why he took ketamine to his employer, but was still probed by Netflix following his admission, the suit read.
On March 18, a few months after the retreat, a company investigator brought up the incident ‘in a manner suggesting suspicion of recreational drug use,’ the filing stated.
By April, Baillie was fired from his position, and a company attorney confirmed ‘the ketamine therapy issue has factored into the termination,’ according to the lawsuit.
Kevin Baillie, the vice president and head of creative at Eyeline Studios, is suing Netflix after the streaming platform fired him following his admission to doing medically prescribed ketamine
Baillie attended the retreat in January 2026 at the Sendero Ranch, an exclusive property in Northern California that is owned by Netflix, the filing read
Following his termination, the suit claims that Baillie was denied up to a year of severance pay, the outlet reported.
Other than his admission to doing ketamine, Baillie said the investigation also looked into his alleged profanity use and drinking – but he wasn’t the only one participating in those acts, the filing detailed.
According to the former executive, he had been warned that he should ‘drop one or two less f-bombs but don’t stop entirely’ during a performance review with his superiors, the lawsuit stated.
As for the drinking allegations, Baillie said he drank a Guinness beer while standing on his head at the same company retreat after he shared that he learned the trick from his former father-in-law during a conversation that took place during the trust exercise, the lawsuit read.
‘His colleague immediately asked for a demonstration, rather than withhold the openness that the session had encouraged, he performed the trick,’ the legal papers read.
Other than his admission to drug use, Baillie said the investigation also looked into his alleged profanity use and drinking – but he wasn’t the only one participating in those acts, the filing detailed
Jeff Shapiro, the chief executive of Eyeline Studios, was also mentioned in the legal filing for his alleged encouragement of drinking alcohol in the company
Baillie also noted that the company environment, in his opinion, is alcohol friendly and was even encouraged by Jeff Shapiro, the CEO of Eyeline Studios, the suit said.
The filing revealed that ‘Shapiro purchased beer at a corner store and brought it into the vehicle for the group to share’ during two company outings.
Shapiro, who joined Netflix in May 2019, also had a personal bar in his office ‘from which he served alcohol [to Baillie] including after a successful meeting with Netflix’s CEO Ted Sarandos,’ the filing stated.
Baillie has asked for a jury trial, lost wages, compensatory damages, punitive damages and damages for his emotional stress.
