Emile Kotze, who starred on Below Deck, has launched a significant legal case against NBCUniversal, claiming that his time on the show occurred in a work environment that he described as hostile. Kotze, who worked as a deckhand on the Bravo claimed that producers manipulated dramatic scenes, asserting their control of on-set events for the purpose of increasing television ratings. Kotze filed the lawsuit against Bravo's parent company and the show’s various producers, a decade after appearing on the reality series, seeking to expose the truth. 

Kotze's lawsuit against NBCUniversal needs to be read with a grain of salt, as the former yacht deckhand's complaint comes with several dangerous allegations.

According to the complaint, Emile Kotze claimed that he was forced into a romantic plot with his co-actress Raquel Rocky Dakota, even though he showed no interest in it. Kotze accused the producers of orchestrating circumstances when both he and his co-actor found themselves alone, working at night without anyone else present. Kotze also claimed that the producers encouraged him to actively pursue her on camera.

"A hostile work environment rife with s----- harassment, manipulation, and dangerous conditions — all engineered for television ratings,” was what Kotze was subjected to per the lawsuit, according to Entertainment Weekly.

Kotze claimed that producers piled him with alcohol because they wanted him to make a romantic move on Dakota, against their will. The lawsuit also alleged that after filming ended, footage was edited in a misleading way that damaged his reputation and portrayed him negatively. 

“After filming, Defendants defamed Plaintiff by deceptively editing footage to portray him in a false and damaging light, misappropriated his likeness for continued commercial gain without consent, and engaged in a cover-up and retaliation campaign to silence and discredit him when he sought redress," the lawsuit stated which Kotze filed in federal court in New York in October 2025, seeking adequate compensation for his claimed loss (via Entertainment Weekly).

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Kotze claimed that the show caused damage to his personal image and professional opportunities because it destroyed what he considered to be his successful yachting career.

The Below Deck alum's legal action was filed in federal court in the Southern District of New York in October 2025 and seeks between $633 million and $850 million in damages. Emile Kotze seeks compensation, just like Blake Lively did, for future earnings loss, which he estimates will reach $123 million, plus emotional distress and punitive damages.

Kotze has argued that NBCUniversal's wealth could be worth tens of billions, which is why he has claimed no less than $10,000,000 for just emotional damage. Meanwhile, for punitive damages, Kotze seeks $500 million. He has also claimed the production company used his likeness without permission and retaliated against him because he tried to report the alleged misconduct. NBCUniversal has not publicly commented on the allegations, though the company has reportedly moved to dismiss.

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