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Christian Keyes, the creator and star of the BET+ drama All the Queen’s Men, has been hit with a formal cease-and-desist letter from his co-star, Skyh Alvester Black. The legal action follows a series of public statements made by Keyes in late December 2025 and early January 2026, where he alleged that Black, who portrays the character “Addiction Anthony” (Amp), was written off the show due to persistent unprofessional conduct and substance use on set.

In a video posted to Facebook, Keyes claimed that Black would frequently show up to work “inebriated” and under the influence. Keyes further alleged that when he personally confronted Black about his behavior, the actor laughed in his face and bragged about his condition. According to Keyes, this lack of professionalism was the primary reason Black was being excluded from future projects, including potential spinoffs or prequels as the series concludes its run on the BET+ network. Keyes stated bluntly in the video that Black “won’t be back” and would be “written out for that and other reasons.”

Skyh Black’s legal team, led by attorney Marty Singer, has characterized these statements as “textbook defamation.” The cease-and-desist letter demands an immediate retraction and a public apology. Black’s representatives argue that the allegations are entirely false and were made in retaliation. According to Black, the tension actually began when he called out Keyes for reportedly “bullying” other cast members. Black claims that Keyes’ leadership style was confrontational and that the creator once publicly accused him of being “high as a kite” in front of over 300 cast and crew members during a production dispute.

Furthermore, Black’s team clarified that the actor was not “fired” or “written off” in the manner Keyes suggested, as BET+ had already made the decision to cancel the series entirely after its fifth season. Since the delivery of the legal notice, the original video containing the allegations has been removed from Keyes’ social media. However, as of late January, Keyes has not issued a formal apology. This public fallout adds a layer of controversy to the conclusion of All the Queen’s Men, which Keyes has also criticized for a perceived loss of “creative integrity” under the direction of Tyler Perry Studios.