The HBO Max Show ‘Generation’ Is Facing Heat After Reportedly Using Real Cat Corpses For A Dissection Scene

The Lena Dunham-produced show Generation — stylized as “Genera+ion” — was the first pilot HBO Max picked up for a series order, back in late 2019. It’s taken over a year for it to be safe to shoot, but it didn’t long, once cameras started rolling, for them to run into trouble. According to Variety, last week some extras stormed off set after discovering they were expected to perform a dissection scene involving actual dead cats.

Word first spread about the allegations over Twitter on Friday. According to the allegations, the performers were told it would be dead frogs, only to be surprised with felines instead. “People had trauma responses,” the person wrote.

But that wasn’t all:

“As a cherry on top of their traumatic experience, at the wrap of day two they were informed one of the camera men tested positive for COVID,” the person wrote. “That should have been disclosed earlier, but they clearly wanted their shots of these kittens.”

Variety contacted HBO Max about the allegations, and while they didn’t directly confirm that cats were involved, they maintained that the “animal specimens” were “ethically sourced in consultation with American Humane via a biological supply company that works with schools.” They also said the extras who “expressed discomfort” received full pay.
However, after subsequent discussion with the creative team, the scene is being reconceived and will not appear in the series. We deeply regret that this occurred.”

As for the infectious crew member, the spokesperson claimed production had “learned of the test results after the day had wrapped,” contradicting the accusations.

On Tuesday, Dunahm released a statement about the incident, revealing she was not on set — she’s shooting the movie Catherine, Called Birdy in London, which she wrote and directed —but she voiced displeasure with the use of real dead animals. “I don’t use animal cadavers in any of my work, ever, and I was not on set or aware that they were used in a recently shot scene depicting a biology classroom assignment,” she wrote. “I fully support the scene being edited out of the show.”

When the show, which was created by Zelda Barnz and directed by her father Daniel, was first picked up by HBO Max, here’s how Deadline described it:

Created by Zelda Barnz and her father Daniel Barnz, who also directs, Generation is a dark yet playful half-hour following a group of high school students whose exploration of modern sexuality (devices and all) tests deeply entrenched beliefs about life, love and the nature of family in their conservative community.

Whatever happened, it appears things got a little too real.