Kip Pardue will not return to Hulu’s Marvel series ‘Runaways’

Actor Kip Pardue will not be returning as Frank Dean for the third and final season of “Runaways,” a Marvel series on Hulu, a source close to the network confirmed to The Times Monday, saying only that the character’s story line has ended.

The revelation coincides with news that the network did not renew the show for a fourth season and more than a year after Pardue was accused of sexual harassment on the set of another TV series and faced disciplinary action by the Screen Actors Guild.

Actress Sarah Scott accused Pardue of sexual harassment in 2018 while they were filming an independent television pilot for “Mogulettes.” In a report to the Screen Actors Guild days after the incident, the “True Blood” and “Castle” star alleged that Pardue had forced her to touch his groin during a sex scene and later masturbated in front of her in a dressing room.

“This isn’t a #MeToo thing,” she claimed he responded. “I’m not your employer. It’s not like I can fire you.”

×

L.A. Times Today airs Monday through Friday at 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. exclusively on Spectrum News 1.

After The Times contacted Pardue about the allegations, the “Remember the Titans” and “The Rules of Attraction” actor apologized for putting Scott’s hand on his penis during their sex scene, but denied the actress’ other off-set allegations.

“I clearly misread the situation during a sex scene on set and have apologized to Sarah,” Pardue told The Times last year in a statement provided by his representative, David Shane. “I never intended to offend her in any way and deeply regret my actions and have learned from my behavior.”

After filing a police report with the Hermosa Beach Police Department, Scott told authorities she didn’t want to press charges. Instead she wanted to stir change within Hollywood by having SAG address the allegations.

Almost a year after the alleged incident, the union ruled Pardue “guilty of serious misconduct in violation” of the SAG-AFTRA constitution, according to a letter Scott was sent that she provided to The Times. He was fined $6,000 and given the option of paying only half if he took online workplace sexual harassment training within 90 days.

Movies

Actress Sarah Scott reported sexual misconduct on a Hollywood set and found a difficult path to a resolution

Sarah Scott was lying under the covers wearing only nipple covers and boy shorts when, she says, her co-star Kip Pardue became aroused.

Oct. 28, 2018

Andrea Bogart, an actress who knew Scott through the L.A. audition circuit, came forward after Scott’s accusations were reported by The Times to accuse Pardue of similar harassment in 2014.

The actress alleged that the actor exposed himself to her and rubbed his penis in her trailer after shooting a scene of Showtime’s “Ray Donovan.”Pardue’s lawyer denied any nonconsensual behavior by his client.

As for Pardue’s fate on “Runaways,” his character’s story line ended with a cliffhanger last season. Frank — a former teen star, struggling actor, church leader and father of Karolina, a human-alien hybrid — was being held as an apostate by the Church of Gibborim.

Pardue’s lawyer did not respond to The Times’ request for comment on the actor being dismissed from “Runaways.” Season 3 premieres Dec. 13 on Hulu, and you can watch the new teaser trailer here.