'The very definition of a toxic work environment': Gabrielle Union, 47, opens up on getting axed from America's Got Talent after complaining about creator Simon Cowell's smoking on set and Jay Leno's racist joke

• Gabrielle Union, 47, opened up about how she was axed the judge panel of reality competition show America's Got Talent in November 2019
• In her cover story interview with Variety, she says from day one she was met with a toxic work environment where Simon Cowell smoked on set and made her sick 
• She had claimed staff told her that her hairstyles and clothes were 'too black'
• She says she was outraged when guest judge Jay Leno cracked a racist joke that Asian people eat dog meat and producers simply said they'd cut it out 
• She said a white contestant was allowed to perform with 'black gloves to [represent] a black performer' and fellow judge Julianne Hough had a history with blackface
• AGT creators released a statement saying they took Union’s concerns seriously and launched outside investigation that found 'an overall culture of diversity'
• They also insisted her complaints had nothing to do with the decision not to renew her contract
• They added:  'We continue to remain committed to having an inclusive environment for everyone associated with the show'

Gabrielle Union has broken her silence on being axed from America's Got Talent last year, and her mission to pave the way for a more inclusive Hollywood.

The 47-year-old actress and producer told Variety, that she was compelled to report Simon Cowell's smoking on set and racist jokes cracked by guest judge Jay Leno - but when she spoke up, she was cut from the show. 

'I signed up for the experience of being a part of a show that hails itself as the biggest stage in the world. Super diverse, and one about giving people an opportunity to shine where they otherwise probably wouldn’t. What could go wrong?' she said.

The reality show has denied many of her claims, with a statement claiming an investigation found the show 'demonstrated an overall culture of diversity'. 

Bosses insisted her complaints had nothing to do with the decision to cut her from the show.

Union was offered a seat on the coveted judge panel of AGT in the spring of 2019.

But Union says her problems began on day one when she found series creator Simon Cowell smoking on set. Union, who has been allergic to cigarette smoke since she was a little girl, fell ill.

'I couldn’t escape. I ended up staying sick for two months straight. It was a cold that lingered, and turned into bronchitis, because I couldn’t shake it. It impacted my voice, which affects my ability to do my job,' Union said.  

When Union became sick, she made made fellow judge Howie Mandel uncomfortable and worried over her germs. 

Union revealed bringing up Cowell's smoke to producers was a dire choice for her.

'Coming onto a set and you are literally met with the very definition of a toxic work environment, and it’s being carried out by the most powerful person on the production,' she told Variety. 

Producers told her there had been complaints about his smoking in the past but effectively, nothing would change.  

'It was challenging to tend to my illness without being made to feel like I’m responsible for my own sickness. It put me in a position from day one where I felt othered. I felt isolated. I felt singled out as being difficult, when I’m asking for basic laws to be followed. I want to come to work and be healthy and safe and listened to,' Union said.  

After her complaint Cowell claims he changed his smoking habits and the issue wasn’t raised again. He said he didn’t want to make anyone uncomfortable and as soon as he learned of her concerns he smoked outdoors. 

However a source familiar with the investigation told Variety that while the matter was addressed, they couldn't say Cowell had entirely stopped smoking indoors.

America's Got Talent responds to Gabrielle Union's tell-all interview 

We have a shared passion to make America’s Got Talent a positive, inclusive and diverse show that is open to all individuals from any country or background. We are proud and grateful that our contestants and audiences support our ongoing mission, which is represented in the incredible people who participate in the show each year. We have heard from contestants and talent alike that their experience on AGT has had a positive impact on their lives. When we heard Ms. Union had concerns about her time on the show, we took them extremely seriously.

NBC, Fremantle and Syco immediately engaged an outside investigator who conducted more than 30 interviews to review the issues raised by Ms. Union. While the investigation has demonstrated an overall culture of diversity, it has also highlighted some areas in which reporting processes could be improved.

Through the investigation process, it has been revealed that no one associated with the show made any insensitive or derogatory remarks about Ms. Union’s appearance, and that neither race nor gender was a contributing factor in the advancement or elimination of contestants at any time. The investigation has shown that the concerns raised by Ms. Union had no bearing on the decision not to exercise the option on her contract.

NBC, Fremantle and Syco share Ms. Union’s dedication to diversity and inclusion in the industry. We continue to remain committed to having an inclusive environment for everyone associated with the show, and to upholding AGT as one of the most diverse programs on television.   

Weeks later guest judge Jay Leno was on the show and cracked a joke that Cowell’s pet dogs looked like food items found on a menu at a Korean restaurant, peddling the stereotype that Asian people eat dog meat.

'My first big interview in this industry, the first person who allowed me to come on their talk show, was Jay Leno. I’ve always held him in high regard, but I was not prepared for his joke,' Union said. 

'I gasped. I froze. Other things had already happened, but at this point, it was so wildly racist,' she added.

Producers reportedly said they would edit his comment out. 

'You cannot edit out what we just experienced. There is not an edit button in my brain or in my soul. To experience this kind of racism at my job and there be nothing done about it, no discipline, no company-wide email, no reminder of what is appropriate in the workplace?' she said.

Union said that AGT’s set was culturally and racially insensitive. 

She has previously alleged that production staff told her that her hairstyle and clothes were 'too black'. 

Union also said the show was ill-equipped to give all contestants equal attention to the hair and makeup chair, which she points out is a recurring problem for minorities.

'Some contestants get the full Hollywood treatment and then some are left to dangle,' she said. She said Hollywood sets who fail to hire diverse departments to meet the needs of all backgrounds creates 'an unequal and discriminatory experience.' 

AGT insisted their investigation found that 'no one associated with the show made insensitive or derogatory remarks' about her appearance. They added that race or gender were never factors considered when eliminating contestants. 

Union also said she was concerned when a white male contestant was allowed to audition with 'black gloves to [represent] a black performer'. The act was flagged as problematic before his performance but he was still allowed to perform for the judges and an audience, Union told Variety.  

Show bosses say the performer was originally planning on performing a different song by white rapper Eminem, and the wearing of black gloves was related to that.

Union also hit out at the hiring of judge Julianne Hough - who came under fire in 2013 for wearing black face at a Halloween party trying to be African American actor Uzo Aduba from the show Orange is the New Black.

'I’m a part of a show that hired one of my co-workers who had an unfortunate incident doing blackface,' Union said.

'I’d like to trust her at her word that she learned her lesson, and has educated herself amid the consequences she faced and is hopefully a better person. But you would think that perhaps the show and NBC might be more conscientious in exposing that, and it would be taken seriously. I took it seriously,' she added.

She noted that the show did not have a standing policy of using contestants' preferred pronouns.

That touches a personal note for Union and her husband NBA star Dwyane Wade whose 12-year-old child is transgender and identifies as a female named Zaya.

Reflecting on her 25 year career in Hollywood, Union says she's no longer keen to appease directors and producers - instead she's focusing on projects she finds meaningful. 

'There were so many spaces in this industry where I had to compartmentalize myself to feel like I was worthy of work. In my 40s, I embraced myself exactly as I am. I wanted to create projects and be a part of things, to have personal and professional relationships that brought me peace, joy, grace and allowed for compassion,' she said. 

In response to the story, NBC, Fremantle and Syco, which produce America's Got Talent, released a statement saying they took Union's concerns seriously and launched an outside investigation with more than 30 interviews. 

'While the investigation has demonstrated an overall culture of diversity, it has also highlighted some areas in which reporting processes could be improved,' they said in a statement to DailyMail.com. 

They added: 'We continue to remain committed to having an inclusive environment for everyone associated with the show, and to upholding AGT as one of the most diverse programs on television.'