A California judge has removed fat shaming allegations from the lawsuit targeting Lizzo, delivering a notable legal win for the singer as the case continues to unfold.
The ruling cuts down one of the most damaging claims made by her former dancers and shifts the focus of the ongoing dispute.
The lawsuit was filed by Arianna Davis, Noelle Rodriguez, and Crystal Williams, who accused Lizzo of inappropriate conduct during their time on tour. While multiple allegations were originally included, the court has now determined that the fat shaming claims will not move forward.
At the center of the decision was a secret recording made by Davis during a private dancer meeting. Court findings show the recording was created without permission and later shared with Williams, who was no longer employed on The Special Tour at the time. The judge ruled that this conduct justified Davis’ termination.
Lizzo’s legal team has maintained that the accusations lacked factual support from the start.
Attorneys Marty Singer and Melissa Glass told TMZ that 18 witnesses testified and rejected the narrative that Lizzo body shamed her dancers, reinforcing the court’s decision to dismiss those claims.
After the ruling, the plaintiffs opted not to appeal the dismissal of the fat shaming allegations. Still, their attorney Ronald Zambrano emphasized that the lawsuit is far from over.
In a statement to TMZ, he said, “We are maintaining that Judge Epstein was correct in his ruling denying Lizzo’s special motion to strike the vast majority of claims they attacked, including false imprisonment and harassment. Of the couple of claims Judge Epstein did dismiss, the plaintiffs have taken a considered approach to leave that be. One would hope to see the same level of intellectual honesty and neutral assessment from the defendants, but that hasn’t been the case thus far and it’s disappointing.”
Although the fat shaming claims are now off the table, Lizzo continues to face other serious accusations. The remaining claims include allegations that she pressured dancers to interact with nude performers at Bananenbar in Amsterdam. Lizzo has denied those allegations through her attorneys, who say they are confident she will ultimately prevail.
Lizzo previously addressed the emotional impact of the lawsuit during a 2024 interview with Keke Palmer, where she said she was “blindsided” by the accusations.
