Kevin Baillie, a former Netflix vice president and head of creative at Eyeline Studios, has filed a lawsuit against Netflix alleging wrongful termination after he disclosed during a company trust exercise that he had undergone medically prescribed ketamine treatments.
According to the lawsuit, Baillie was participating in a 'Vulnerability-Trust exercise' at Netflix's Sendero Ranch in Northern California in January 2026 when he revealed that he had received ketamine treatments for clinical depression in late 2022, following his mother's death. The treatments were supervised at a clinic in Santa Barbara, California. Baillie was earning approximately $1.1 million annually at the time.
Baillie's earnings at Netflix before termination.
Baillie was terminated in April 2026. A Netflix attorney confirmed that 'the ketamine therapy issue has factored into the termination.' Baillie was also denied up to a year of severance pay.
The lawsuit also describes other incidents at the retreat, including Baillie drinking a pint of Guinness while standing on his head after a colleague requested a demonstration. Additionally, the suit alleges that Eyeline Studios CEO Jeff Shapiro maintained a personal bar in his office and served alcohol after meetings, including after a meeting with Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos, and that Shapiro purchased alcohol for employees on company trips.
Baillie, who worked on visual effects for the Harry Potter and Pirates of the Caribbean franchises, is seeking a jury trial, compensatory damages, lost wages, damages for emotional distress, and punitive damages. Netflix's public culture memo promotes vulnerability and candor, describing the company as a professional sports team rather than a family, and uses a 'keeper test' for employee retention.