Why Vince McMahon Accuser Didn’t Participate in Netflix Docuseries

Ann Callis — attorney for Janel Grant, who has sued former WWE co-founder Vince McMahon, the company itself and CEO John Laurinaitis for sexual misconduct and abuse — told reporters Thursday that her client declined to participate in the Netflix docuseries “Mr. McMahon” because she wants to tell her own story rather than be part of the larger docuseries about McMahon’s life.

“While Janel did not participate in the Netflix docuseries, we hope it sheds light on McMahon’s appalling actions, which often occur on WWE property, and exposes the reality of his abusive and exploitative behavior,” Callis said.

Grant filed her lawsuit against McMahon in January of this year. She was employed by WWE between 2019 and 2022 and alleges that McMahon coerced her into a sexual relationship with both McMahon and company executive and former wrestler John Laurinaitis, which involved sex at WWE headquarters, and that she attempted to arrange sex between her and WWE wrestler and former UFC fighter Brock Lesnar. Her allegations also include that McMahon repeatedly sexually assaulted her between 2020 and 2021.

When asked why Grant declined to be a part of the series, Callis emphasized, “Janel deserves the opportunity to tell her whole story, and not be a part of someone else’s.” She also noted that Grant “has the right to tell her story in her own way and at the right time.”

WWE co-founder McMahon is facing Grant’s lawsuit and is under federal investigation. Grant agreed to suspend her case against McMahon in late May at the request of the Justice Department, which has been conducting its own criminal investigation into McMahon. That suspension expires in December, Callis noted.

The six-episode docuseries, years in the making, features interviews with McMahon himself from before Grant’s allegations were made public, as well as interviews with others who spoke about McMahon before and after those allegations came to light.

Grant and her representatives have not seen the docuseries, Callis said. She also noted that they do not know where the federal government’s case currently stands, but said, “We want charges, if any, filed expeditiously so she can resume her civil lawsuit.”

Callis later added, “The only thing we know for sure is that there is an active, ongoing, non-public criminal investigation.” When asked if they were frustrated with the speed of the federal investigation, Callis added, “I was a judge for a long time, a criminal judge for a long time. And I know these things happen in state court, and I know these things take time. And what we want to do, we want to do right, not fast.”

While the case is on hold, other related motions are being filed, including Grant’s team seeking messages between McMahon and Dr. Carlon Colker. According to Callis, Colker treated Grant at McMahon’s direction.

“Janel was being treated with IVs. She didn’t know what was in the IVs,” Callis said. “She was being given pills. She didn’t know what was in the pills, what they contained.”

When asked if Grant’s team had heard from anyone at WWE or former employees since filing the lawsuit, Callis responded that there had been brief contact shortly after filing the lawsuit, but that they have not heard from or communicated with WWE since then.

“We anticipate and expect other victims to come forward,” Callis said, noting that they have received numerous calls from other potential victims. However, “At this time, with the status of what is going on with the non-public (federal) criminal investigation, we have not spoken to any current victims of Vince McMahon’s sexual abuse at WWE.”

Callis also noted, “We have every reason to believe that Janel was not the only woman who was a victim of McMahon’s abuse.”

She cited reports that McMahon has agreed to pay more than $12 million to four women, all associated with the company at some point over the past 16 years, to quell allegations of sexual misconduct and McMahon’s infidelity.

“This is a clear pattern of predatory behavior,” Callis said.

Grant has hired public relations firm SKDK ahead of the premiere of the docuseries “Mr. McMahon.” The firm has previously worked with survivors of sexual abuse linked to Harvey Weinstein, Jeffrey Epstein and Marilyn Manson, among others.

SKDK’s Kendra Barkoff Lamy, who is working with Grant, has previously worked with survivors of sexual abuse linked to Harvey Weinstein, Jeffrey Epstein and Marilyn Manson, among others. Callis noted that SKDK was hired “to support and raise awareness for Janelle’s case.”

Callis criticized the way Grant was sometimes portrayed in the media, arguing that she should be portrayed as “a survivor of human trafficking and sexual abuse.”

“She’s a victim and a survivor. She’s not a WWE storyline,” Callis said in response to a question from TheWrap.

“As we’ve seen in the press recently with what’s come out with (Diddy) and other people, human trafficking really does take a toll,” Lamy told TheWrap. “That’s exactly what happened to Ms. Grant.”

“Because of the extreme cruelty, humiliation, exploitation and violence she was subjected to on an almost daily basis for over two years, she now suffers from severe post-traumatic stress disorder, suicidal thoughts and is sometimes unable to leave her home for weeks at a time,” Callis said.

Lee Cole, the brother of Tom Cole, an alleged victim of sexual abuse in the WWE from the 1980s, also joined the call to ask questions about the effect of abuse on victims.

“Janel has suffered and continues to suffer from severe mental health issues,” Callis said. “McMahon specifically targeted her. And as we know, abuse and coercion are never easy. She had no choice but to walk away. She was coerced, trafficked, and made to feel like she had no choice but to remain silent in order to survive.”

Callis noted that WWE employees had informed Grant that they were aware of Grant’s relationship with McMahon, “but offered Grant their hostility instead of support.”

McMahon has been accused of sexual misconduct in the past. In 2022, he reached multiple settlements that dropped the case and signed nondisclosure agreements. In January of this year, he resigned from WWE parent company TKO after reports surfaced about Grant’s allegations and the filing of her lawsuit.

Laurinaitis, a co-defendant in the lawsuit, initially released a statement echoing Grant’s allegations of sexual misconduct by McMahon and stating that he too was a victim in the situation. However, he later reversed course and joined with both McMahon and WWE in forcing arbitration based on a previous nondisclosure agreement signed by Grant. Grant’s side has argued that the NDA is no longer in effect because McMahon breached his side of the agreement. McMahon has argued that Grant was the first to breach the agreement.

Grant is also represented by The Agency Group.