‘Lethal Weapon’ star says show disciplined him twice

It’s that time of year when broadcast networks are deciding which shows to keep and which shows to ax — so actors never want to give executives a reason to lean toward the latter.

However, April 23, Deadline Hollywood reported that Clayne Crawford, one of the stars of Fox buddy cop dramedy “Lethal Weapon,” had become such a problem on set that he was “threatening the future of the show.”

“I have learned that Crawford has had a history of bad behavior on the show, and that he has been disciplined several times over complaints of emotional abuse and creating a hostile environment,” reporter Nellie Andreeva wrote.

“Lethal Weapon,” which airs Tuesdays and will wrap up its second season May 8, was initially seen an easy renewal for Fox, averaging about 7 million viewers a week. Based on the hit films from the 1980s, Crawford stars as Detective Martin Riggs (originally played by Mel Gibson) and Damon Wayans stars as Detective Roger Murtaugh (originally Danny Glover). But TVLine — owned by the same company as Deadline — hinted last month that an unnamed actor on a popular series “has become impossible to work with, and his massively disruptive behavioral issues are causing the network/studio to rethink bringing the series back.”

On April 24, Crawford released a statement on Instagram and confirmed that he was recently reprimanded twice this season. The first time was after he reacted angrily “over working conditions that did not feel safe or conducive to good work under the leadership of a guest director and assistant director.” Afterward, he wrote, he met with human resources and apologized; and at the request of the studio, Warner Bros., he completed therapy and gave part of his paycheck to “one of the parties involved.”

The second incident, Crawford said, occurred when he was directing a recent episode, and an actor was hit by a piece of shrapnel.

“I absolutely love, respect and care for my crew and cast and would never intentionally jeopardize so many jobs. Moreover, I love the process of making film and television. I appreciate and respect the work of everyone involved,” Crawford wrote. “It takes a village, and I am incredibly sorry if my passion for doing good work has ever made anyone feel less than comfortable on our set, or feel less than celebrated for their efforts.”