Matt Gutman Accused of Harassment in Former ABC Producer’s Wrongful Termination Lawsuit

Former ABC News field producer Samira Said filed a lawsuit against veteran correspondent Matt Gutman, ABC News, and The Walt Disney Company, alleging sexual harassment and wrongful termination. The suit claims Gutman created a hostile work environment by making inappropriate sexual remarks while Said was working on a team with him and two other male crew members.

Said was placed on a male-only team, and during a public queue, Gutman rated a female correspondent's appearance and reduced her professional standing to a numerical score based on her physical attributes. The men in the crew also joined in, continuing to assess the woman's body and looks in Said's presence. Said declined to participate in the conversation, stating it was inappropriate.

In another incident, during a press day related to a film release, Gutman allegedly made a sexualized insinuation about Said's personal life. Said's legal team argues that the remark demeaned her and reduced her professional judgment to a sexualized stereotype. Additionally, Said claims she was wrongfully terminated from ABC News in 2025 after struggling with her mental health due to lack of reasonable accommodations.

The lawsuit alleges that the company did not make accommodations for her after she reported experiencing severe psychological symptoms and needed time off for her health. Said was cleared by her psychiatrist to return to work "subject to reasonable accommodations," but was denied, and presented with an ultimatum to either return to work without accommodations or not return at all. She is seeking compensatory and punitive damages, as well as attorney's fees.