Kathy Bates-led legal drama faces behind-the-scenes crisis as actor David Del Rio is fired following a s*xual assault investigation, forcing writers to rework the show’s second season just days before its premiere.
The CBS legal drama Matlock has fired actor David Del Rio from its cast. The termination comes after the studio investigated an alleged s*xual assault incident involving his co-star, Leah Lewis. The sudden departure has forced the show’s producers to rewrite storylines for the upcoming season, which is set to premiere on October 12, 2025.
What Happened Behind the Scenes
The incident that led to Del Rio’s dismissal reportedly occurred on September 26, 2025. Sources indicate the alleged s*xual assault involved his co-star Leah Lewis, who plays first-year associate Sarah Franklin in the series. The production company, CBS Studios, was made aware of the allegation and immediately launched an internal investigation.
On October 2, 2025, just days after the reported incident, the studio completed its investigation and made the decision to terminate Del Rio’s contract. The actor was reportedly escorted off the Paramount lot the same day. Among those who led him away was Matlock executive producer Eric Christian Olsen.
The studio confirmed Del Rio’s departure but has declined to comment further on the matter. Representatives for both Del Rio and Lewis have not made public statements beyond what has been shared on social media.
The Aftermath and Response
Following the news of his termination, Del Rio’s wife, actress Katherine Del Rio, made posts on social media that directly referenced Lewis. In one since-deleted Instagram Story, she wrote, “This is the most disturbing human being I have ever met,” seemingly referring to Lewis. In another deleted post that mirrored Lewis’s own message, Katherine Del Rio wrote, “Mom is here. We’re moving forward in love and strength after what Leah did to our family.”
Leah Lewis broke her silence on October 9, 2025, sharing her own statement on Instagram. She posted a photo with her mother along with a message to fans:
“Mom is here, we’re moving forward in love and strength. I’m in good hands. Thank you to everybody for any kind of support and care. Truly, we’re moving forward in strength. Key word, strength. Please, let that be the takeaway.”
Impact on Matlock’s Second Season
The firing comes at a challenging time for the popular CBS reboot, as the show’s second season is scheduled to premiere on October 12, 2025. Production was reportedly midway through filming the second season when Del Rio was terminated, meaning approximately half of the season’s episodes had already been completed with his character.
David Del Rio played Billy Martinez, a first-year associate at the fictional law firm Jacobson Moore. His character was a series regular throughout the first season and shared most scenes with Leah Lewis’s character. Before his dismissal, showrunner Jennie Snyder Urman had indicated that Del Rio’s character would have a more prominent role in the second season.
The production now faces the challenge of writing Billy Martinez out of the series. Writers are reportedly reworking scripts for the second half of the season to accommodate the character’s departure. How they will explain his absence from the show remains unclear, though the character’s existing storyline included his ex-girlfriend’s pregnancy, which could provide a logical exit.
Understanding the Show and Its Cast
Matlock is a CBS legal drama that serves as a reboot of the original 1986-1995 series starring Andy Griffith. The new version features Kathy Bates as Madeline “Matty” Matlock, a septuagenarian lawyer who returns to practice at a prestigious New York law firm. While presenting herself as a financially struggling widow, she is actually a wealthy woman working undercover to uncover the truth about her daughter’s death.
The series also stars Skye P. Marshall as firm partner Olympia Lawrence, Jason Ritter as her ex-husband and colleague Julian, and Leah Lewis as Sarah Franklin, another first-year associate at the firm. The show has been a ratings success for CBS, finishing its first season as television’s number one new series with approximately 17 million viewers. Kathy Bates earned an Emmy nomination for her performance, making her the oldest nominee in the lead actress in a drama series category.
The second season of Matlock will still premiere as scheduled on Sunday, October 12, 2025, at 8:30 p.m. ET on CBS, before moving to its regular Thursday timeslot on October 16. The episodes will be available for next-day streaming on Paramount+.
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