Warner Bros. CEO out after investigation into sexual misconduct allegations

Warner Bros. Entertainment Chairman and CEO Kevin Tsujihara is out of a job following an investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct.

WarnerMedia CEO John Stankey said in a statement it was in the best interest of the company and its employees for Tsujihara to step down, adding that he "contributed greatly to the studio's success over the past 25 years and for that we thank him." 

Tsujihara "acknowledges that his mistakes are inconsistent with the company's leadership expectations and could impact the company's ability to execute going forward," Stankey added. 

In an email to Warner Bros. employees that was forwarded to CBS News, Tsujihara echoed Stankey's explanation for his departure, saying he did not want to "let media attention on my past detract from all the great work the team is doing." 

The 54-year-old executive reportedly had an extramarital affair with British actress Charlotte Kirk, helping her get parts in films, according to snippets of texts between the two published in the Hollywood Reporter. The actress appeared in two Warner Bros. films: 2016's "How to Be Single" and 2018's "Ocean's 8." She has denied any inappropriate behavior on the part of Tsujihara or two other executives, Brett Ratner and James Packer, who she communicated with. "Mr. Tsujihara never promised me anything," Kirk has said.

The scandal unfolded just as Warner Bros. was restructuring on the heels of AT&T's takeover of WarnerMedia, previously known as Time Warner. Tsujihara's role had just been expanded to include global kids and family entertainment.

Tsujihara has led the studio since 2013 after previously working on the home-entertainment side of the business. His exit comes only two weeks after he was given additional responsibilities, including oversight of a new entertainment venture targeting children and young adults. The company said it has not yet named a successor. 

Warner Brothers Entertainment, formerly known as Warner Bros. Pictures, is one of Hollywood's largest film and television studios. Among its properties is the CW Television Network, a joint venture between Warner Bros. and CBS News parent CBS Corp. Parent WarnerMedia is part of AT&T's $85 billion acquisition of Time Warner last year.