Chris Hardwick’s #MeToo Allegations: Dykstra, AMC Probe, Return

In June 2018, actress Chloe Dykstra published a Medium essay accusing her ex-boyfriend of years of emotional and sexual abuse and of blacklisting her from the entertainment industry; the details matched Chris Hardwick, and the Chris Hardwick MeToo allegations that followed led to a brief suspension from his AMC hosting duties, an outside investigation, and his reinstatement less than two months later. No lawsuit, defamation claim, or restraining order was ever filed by either side.

What Chloe Dykstra Alleged

On June 14, 2018, Dykstra, then 29, posted an essay titled “Rose-Colored Glasses: A Confession.” She did not name Hardwick, but she described a three-year relationship with a man “almost 20 years my senior” whose publicly known details matched his.¹ Hardwick was 46.

She called the relationship “restrictive and abusive.” She wrote that she was subject to curfews, prohibited from having male friends, restricted from drinking, and forbidden from speaking to him in public.¹ She said she felt coerced into being sexually available whenever he wanted, and she described what she called “routine sexual assault,” including a practice she called “starfishing” during which she said she was “occasionally in tears.”²

Dykstra also wrote about suffering an ectopic pregnancy during the relationship and alleged that shortly after her surgery, her partner’s primary concern was asking the doctor when they could resume having sex.³ She said she became anorexic, lost many friends, and at her lowest point contemplated suicide by standing on a freeway overpass.²

The most career-specific claim came after the breakup. Dykstra wrote that her ex-boyfriend contacted companies she regularly worked with and threatened never to collaborate with them again if they kept employing her. “He succeeded. I was blacklisted,” she wrote, saying she was “blacklisted from my industry at the age of 25.”³

How Hardwick Responded

Hardwick issued a public statement categorically denying the sexual assault allegations. “At no time did I sexually assault her,” he said.⁴ He acknowledged the relationship “was not perfect,” said they “were ultimately not a good match and argued — even shouted at each other,” but maintained that he had loved Dykstra and tried to support her.⁵

He also alleged that Dykstra had been unfaithful during the relationship and that she had asked to reconcile for several weeks after the breakup, telling him she wanted to “build a life” with him. He described her allegations as describing “conduct that did not occur” and said he was “blindsided by her post.”⁵

His wife, Lydia Hearst, publicly supported him in an Instagram statement on June 23, 2018, describing Hardwick as “nothing but loving and compassionate” and framing her post as a defense of due process rather than a dismissal of survivors. Her mother, Patty Hearst, wrote on Twitter, “Beware the person who stabs you and then tells the world they’re the one who’s bleeding.”⁶

The Immediate Professional Consequences

The response from Hardwick’s employers was quick. Within days, AMC suspended his talk show, Talking With Chris Hardwick, and announced he would step aside from moderating AMC and BBC America panels at San Diego Comic-Con.⁷ He was also pulled from Talking Dead, with Yvette Nicole Brown stepping in as guest host.⁸

Legendary Entertainment, which had acquired Nerdist in 2012, scrubbed all references to Hardwick from the Nerdist website on June 15, 2018, including his designation as the brand’s founder.⁹ A spokesperson said Hardwick “no longer has any affiliation with Legendary Digital Networks” and had “no operational involvement with Nerdist for the two years preceding the expiration of his contract in December 2017.”¹⁰

The AMC Investigation and Reinstatement

AMC commissioned an outside review led by labor attorney Ivy Kagan Bierman of Loeb & Loeb. The network described it as a “very careful review” involving “interviews with numerous individuals.”⁸

Dykstra did not take part. She said publicly, “I do not believe in an eye for an eye.”¹¹ In a follow-up statement on August 10, 2018, she wrote that she had made sure her original essay was “unembellished, factual, and that I had evidence to back it up in order to protect myself in case of ACTUAL litigation (not a network investigation, where I’m not protected).”¹² She said she stood by “every single word” of the essay.¹³

AMC closed the investigation and reinstated Hardwick, saying that “given the information available to us after a very careful review… we believe returning Chris to work is the appropriate step.”⁸ He returned to Talking Dead on August 12, 2018, less than two months after the allegations became public. On air, he thanked the Walking Dead community and called the show a “sanctuary,” but did not address the allegations directly.¹⁴

Nerdist ran a separate investigation with outside employment counsel and restored the reference to Hardwick as a founder, calling the designation “factually true.”¹⁵

Staff Departures

The reinstatement drove some resignations. Co-executive producer Jen Patton and a handful of other Talking Dead staffers left before Hardwick’s return, with an insider saying they “felt they couldn’t stay after Chloe was not part of the investigation.” Co-executive producer Brandon Monk stayed and took the lead in production. On August 8, 2018, Hardwick met with roughly two dozen remaining employees and offered one-on-one sessions.¹²

Several Nerdist writers also walked after the site put Hardwick’s name back up. Contributor Donna Dickens wrote on Twitter, “Nerdist has decided to put Hardwick’s name back on their site so I’ve decided not to write for them anymore.”¹⁶

Was There Any Lawsuit?

No. Neither Hardwick nor Dykstra filed any legal action, including a defamation suit or a restraining order. Dykstra said she had gathered evidence in case of litigation but did not pursue it.¹³ No other individuals have publicly come forward with similar allegations against Hardwick.¹⁷

Where Hardwick’s Career Stands Now

Before the essay, Hardwick had built a substantial media résumé. He founded Nerdist Industries, hosted 600 episodes of Comedy Central’s @midnight, and hosted and executive-produced NBC’s The Wall.¹⁸

After his reinstatement, he continued hosting Talking Dead through its conclusion in November 2022, when it ended alongside The Walking Dead.¹⁹ He also stayed on as host of NBC’s The Wall, which is in its sixth season in early 2026.²⁰

Hardwick took what he described as a “parenting hiatus” from podcasting in 2022 and relaunched his show in 2025. In May 2026, AMC Global Media announced a new 12-episode video podcast with Hardwick called I Think You’re Overthinking It, distributed on AMC+, YouTube, and other platforms. Hardwick said he and AMC “had been looking for the right way to work together again after Talking Dead wrapped in 2022 and this felt like a natural fit.”¹⁹ The announcement made no mention of the 2018 controversy.²¹

1
IndieWire. Chris Hardwick Accused of Sexual Assault by Chloe Dykstra
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Business Insider. Chloe Dykstra Emotional and Sexual Abuse Essay
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Variety. Chris Hardwick: Chloe Dykstra Blacklist Allegation
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Mashable. Chris Hardwick Chloe Dykstra Abuse Statement
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IndieWire. Chris Hardwick Chloe Dykstra Accusations Denial
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Deadline. Lydia Hearst Supports Chris Hardwick
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Deadline. Chris Hardwick AMC Pulls Talk Show, Comic-Con Panels
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Variety. Chris Hardwick Talking Dead AMC Investigation
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The Hollywood Reporter. Nerdist Removes Chris Hardwick References
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IndieWire. Chris Hardwick Nerdist Removed
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Billboard. Chris Hardwick Gets Emotional on Talking Dead Return
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Deadline. Chris Hardwick Returns to Talking Dead, EP Quits in Protest
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The Wrap. Chris Hardwick Ex Chloe Dykstra Stands by Every Single Word
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Yahoo Entertainment. Chris Hardwick Gets Emotional on Talking Dead Return
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The Hollywood Reporter. Chris Hardwick’s Name Returns to Nerdist Website
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BuzzFeed. a href=”https://www.buzzfeed.com/marcusjones/talking-dead-staffers-quit-chris-hardwick” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>Talking Dead Staffers Quit Over Chris Hardwick
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The Hollywood Reporter. Chloe Dykstra Says She Chose Not to Participate in Chris Hardwick Investigation
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The Comedy Store. Chris Hardwick
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The Hollywood Reporter. Chris Hardwick Returns to AMC With New Podcast
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NBC. Chris Hardwick Interview, The Wall Host Season 6
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TV Insider. AMC Chris Hardwick Podcast I Think You’re Overthinking It