A transgender assistant editor on DreamWorks’ The Bad Guys 2 is suing the studio and parent company NBCUniversal for alleged anti-trans harassment.

The lawsuit, filed last week in California state court, alleges that Parker Goldsmith was subjected to multiple instances of gender-based harassment – primarily by their direct supervisor, John Venzon – while working on the 2025 animated film.

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Venzon, who is named as a defendant in the suit, worked as an editor on the film but was ultimately fired, Them reported. Goldsmith alleges that while still working on the film, Venzon repeatedly sent them memes belittling their trans identity, outed them to colleagues, deadnamed them, and asked invasive questions about their transition.

According to the complaint, Venzon’s conduct – which allegedly included making jokes about transgender bodies – happened both in private meetings and among colleagues, creating a hostile working environment for Goldsmith.  

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Goldsmith claims that higher-ups at the studio witnessed the harassment but did nothing to stop it. When Goldsmith brought their concerns to human resources, they were allegedly told by an HR manager that coworkers had corroborated their version of events and that “the company had ‘failed them at every level.’”

However, the complaint alleges that DreamWorks “took no meaningful action for nearly two months and instead [Goldsmith] was forced to work from home, secluded from the rest of their team,” according to Law360.

While Venzon was fired from the project in March 2024, Goldsmith continued to work on Bad Guys 2 remotely until the film wrapped in May 2025. But their lawsuit alleges that colleagues continued to discuss and mock their HR complaint, creating a “retaliatory environment.” Goldsmith also alleges that following their HR complaint, DreamWorks passed them over for multiple work opportunities for which they were qualified.

“Our client brought this case to vindicate their right to work in an environment free from harassment and hostility based on sex, gender, gender identity, and gender expression,” Goldsmith’s attorney, Eliot J. Rushovich, told Law 360. “The entertainment industry has long struggled with these issues, and even though speaking up can carry real professional risks, our client felt these rights were too important to remain silent.”

Responding to Law360, Venzon said it was the first he’d heard of the lawsuit and declined to comment.

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