Amazon MGM Studios faces an unexpected production challenge as disturbing criminal charges surface against one of its cast members.
Timothy Busfield, the 68-year-old actor known for his decades-long career in Hollywood, has been completely removed from the upcoming romantic comedy You Deserve Each Other following serious criminal allegations.
The studio made the decision after Busfield was charged with two counts of criminal sexual contact with a minor and child abuse—accusations that could result in a decade behind bars if he’s convicted.
Here’s everything we know about the case, the film’s response, and what happens next.
Criminal Charges Stem From The Cleaning Lady Set
Busfield’s legal troubles originated from alleged incidents on the New Mexico set of Fox and Warner Bros TV’s The Cleaning Lady, where he served as director for several episodes across the show’s four-season run from 2022 to 2025.
According to sources confirmed to Deadline, charges involve alleged incidents with two minor boys. An arrest warrant was issued on January 8, and Busfield turned himself in to Albuquerque police five days later on January 13.
He appeared in court the following day and is currently being held without bond at Bernalillo County Metropolitan Detention Center. While Busfield has not entered a formal plea, he has maintained his innocence throughout the proceedings.
A pre-trial detention motion hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, which will determine whether he remains in custody pending trial.
Professional Fallout Happens Swiftly
The entertainment industry’s response came quickly and decisively. Innovative Artists, Busfield’s longtime talent agency, dropped him as a client immediately following news of the charges.
Amazon MGM Studios took additional steps by completely editing Busfield out of You Deserve Each Other, despite filming having already wrapped. His role as Bernie, father to Meghann Fahy’s character Naomi, had been fully shot before the allegations surfaced.
Removing an actor from a completed film represents a significant production challenge and expense. Studios typically face this dilemma only when allegations are particularly serious or when maintaining an actor’s presence could damage the film’s commercial prospects.
Amazon MGM did not return requests for comment regarding the decision or the editing process.
About You Deserve Each Other
The romantic comedy is based on Sarah Hogle’s bestselling 2020 novel and tells the story of what appears to be a perfect engaged couple played by Meghann Fahy and Penn Badgley.
Behind their picture-perfect facade, both are secretly sick of each other and desperate to end their relationship. The twist? Whoever breaks off the engagement gets stuck paying for the entire wedding.
What follows is an escalating war of pranks and sabotage as each tries to force the other to call it quits first. Along the way, they discover that with nothing left to lose, they’re actually having fun—with the last person either expected.