'Lethal Weapon' Star Hilarie Burton Defends Clayne Crawford After Firing

Fans of the FOX action series Lethal Weapon were left with a bittersweet taste on Sunday, as the [...]

Fans of the FOX action series Lethal Weapon were left with a bittersweet taste on Sunday, as the network announced the show would be back for a third season, but without Clayne Crawford as Martin Riggs.

Despite the accusations against him, one of Crawford's former co-star, Hilarie Burton, spoke up in defense of the 40-year-old actor.

Burton, who has made appearances in six episodes across the first two seasons as Karen Palmer, responded to numerous fans asking to give her thoughts on Crawford. Both of her responses took place before the announcement that Seann William Scott would be taking over the Riggs role.

"It was good to be agent Palmer. [Damon Wayans] was sweet to me. [Clayne Crawford] is one of my favorite scene partners of all time," she wrote in response to a fan on Friday. "[Keesha Sharp] is my girl crush. [Jonathan Fernandez] and [Michelle Mitchenor] are stars on the rise. [Chandler Kinney] is amazing! And [Kevin Rahm]...ehh. He's ok."

Shortly after the tweet, Burton expanded on her thoughts the next day.

"I have a multitude of kind words about [Clayne Crawford]!" she wrote on Saturday when asked again about her co-star. "That guy greeted me on my very first day and has been a friend ever since. When I couldn't find childcare while I was working, he and his wife and kids take care of Gus. He shows up early. He knows his lines. He pushes to make ever scene its best. I've watched him fight on the behalf of other people. And a good leader isn't afraid to be a bad guy."

She went on in that message to address the accusations that co-workers had reported Crawford for allegedly making "a hostile work environment."

"The pace at which a show like Lethal Weapon shoots doesn't always allow for constructive conversations to be warm and fuzzy," she wrote. "But it's my experience that Mr. Crawford genuinely cares about the well-being of every member of the cast and crew. Clearly he's upset someone that turned to the media. And in defending him I may also upset that person. But standing up for someone who has been good to me is something I believe is the right thing to do. So yes, I'm a fan of Clayne Crawford."

That latter tweet caught Crawford's attention. He retweeted the note and thanked Burton for her kind words.

"It's hard to stand up in this business, Thank You!" Crawford wrote.

Photo: Fox

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