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Netflix Executive Fired After Making Bombshell Confession During ‘Trust Exercise’ At Work
A top Netflix executive has been fired after making a ‘bombshell confession’ during a trust exercise on a company retreat.
Kevin Baillie reportedly went ‘ballistic’ after he was fired when the company decided to launch an investigation into the comments he made during the game.
Baillie had been a part of the visual effects team for big Hollywood film franchises like Pirates of the Caribbean and Harry Potter.
He has now lost his $1.1 million a year job as the vice president and head of creative at Eyeline Studios.
In a new lawsuit against the company, Baillie has revealed the shocking admission he made that cost him his job.
A company retreat ‘gone wrong’
The incident happened in January 2026 during a company retreat at the exclusive Sendero Ranch.
The property is in Northern California and is owned by Netflix.
Baillie worked for Eyeline Studios, a visual effects and virtual production company.
The company was bought by the streaming giant in 2022.
It was with staff from this company that Baillie made his shocking confession.
During a ‘vulnerability and trust’ exercise, employees were encouraged to share their past issues and experiences openly.
However, Baillie’s vulnerability landed him in some serious hot water.
Why do companies make employees do ‘trust exercises’ and retreats?
Companies have spent decades sending employees on retreats, away days and trust-building exercises in the hope of creating happier teams.
While activities such as trust falls and blindfold challenges have become running jokes, the thinking behind them is rooted in workplace psychology rather than simple entertainment.
The main goal is to strengthen relationships between colleagues who may rarely interact during a normal workday.
Modern businesses often operate across different departments, offices, and even countries, making it difficult for employees to form personal connections.
Retreats encourage people to step away from deadlines and meetings, allowing them to build trust in a more relaxed environment.
Research suggests that shared experiences, especially those involving problem-solving or collaboration, can improve communication and make teams work together more effectively afterwards.
Companies also use retreats to reinforce their culture and values.
Senior leaders often see them as an opportunity to align staff around common goals, celebrate successes and discuss future plans without the distractions of the office.
Since the rise of remote and hybrid working, many employers have invested even more heavily in off-site events as they try to rebuild the sense of community that virtual meetings cannot always provide.
However, experts warn that these events can quickly backfire when they prioritize forced fun over genuine connection.
There are many stories to show how some retreats have crossed the line by pressuring employees into uncomfortable activities, revealing personal information or taking part in physically demanding challenges.
Instead of building trust, these experiences can leave workers feeling embarrassed, excluded or resentful, particularly if participation feels compulsory.
In some cases, people have even lost their jobs.
Baillie’s previous bad behavior
In the lawsuit against the company, some of the context has been laid out for Baillie’s dismissal from the film company.
The lawsuit says investigators examined allegations involving workplace profanity and alcohol consumption during company events.
Baillie argues that management had already addressed his swearing during a previous performance review.
According to the filing, reviewers told him he should ‘drop one or two less f-bombs but don’t stop entirely.’
He claims this feedback showed that the company accepted casual profanity rather than discouraging it.
The filing also describes an incident that allegedly took place during the same company retreat.
Baillie says he drank a pint of Guinness while standing on his head after telling colleagues he had learned the trick from his former father-in-law.
The lawsuit says another employee immediately asked Baillie to demonstrate the trick.
Baillie agreed because the session encouraged participants to be open with one another.
“His colleague immediately asked for a demonstration, rather than withhold the openness that the session had encouraged, he performed the trick,” the filing states.
Baillie also claims Eyeline Studios CEO Jeff Shapiro fostered a workplace culture that encouraged alcohol at company events.
The lawsuit says that during two company outings, ‘Shapiro purchased beer at a corner store and brought it into the vehicle for the group to share.’
Baillie presents this as another example of alcohol playing a regular role in work-related social gatherings.
The filing also alleges that Shapiro hosted multiple parties and kept a personal bar in his office.
According to the lawsuit, Shapiro served alcohol to Baillie on several occasions, including after a meeting with Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos.
The confession that cost him a $1.1m job
It was during this trust exercise that Baillie made the confession that would cost him his job.
He admitted to his colleagues that he had once taken medically prescribed k**amine.
The lawsuit says that he took the drug at a medical retreat in Santa Barbara, where he sought treatment for depression after the death of his mother.
He claims he openly explained why he had undergone the treatment as colleagues shared personal experiences during the session.
However, the lawsuit alleges Netflix later investigated his comments.
It says a company investigator raised the issue in March, ‘in a manner suggesting suspicion of recreational drug use.’
Baillie was fired the following month.
According to the lawsuit, the company’s attorney later confirmed ‘the ketamine therapy issue has factored into the termination.’
The filing also alleges he lost up to a year’s worth of severance pay from Netflix.
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