Oscar Winner Dustin Lance Black Slams LA Mayoral Candidate Nithya Raman for No-Show…

Oscar-winning screenwriter Dustin Lance Black publicly torched Los Angeles mayoral candidate Nithya Raman, calling her out for a conspicuous no-show at a campaign event he personally organized. According to the New York Post ^[1], Black not only withdrew his endorsement of Raman but also threw his support behind incumbent Mayor Karen Bass.

The controversy centers on a fundraiser titled "A Reception with Nithya Raman," held on October 16 at the home of Black and his husband, Olympic diver Tom Daley. Black stated that Raman had personally reached out to ask him to host the gathering, yet she failed to appear. In a video posted to his Instagram account, which has nearly half a million followers, Black declared his decision to vote for Bass. "One of the candidates showed up as she promised, and the other did not," Black said in the clip ^[1].

Black cited the critical nature of the next four years for Los Angeles, particularly as the city prepares to host the 2028 Olympic Games, as the primary reason for his re-evaluation. As the husband of an Olympian, Black emphasized that successful hosting requires more than just infrastructure. "If you're going to put on a world-class games, you have to have the relationships with the people to pull it off, you got to understand the city, and you got to show up," he explained ^[1].

The drama deepened when actor and comedian Paul Scheer commented on Black’s video, suggesting Raman had abandoned the entertainment industry during the recent strikes to avoid upsetting major Democratic donors who own streaming platforms. Black agreed with Scheer’s assessment, noting that Raman’s absence was not an isolated incident. He alleged that her staff had lied about the reasons for her disappearance without providing prior notice. "Her staff then lied about the reasons why she vanished—with no heads up," Black replied to Scheer ^[1].

Black, who identified himself as a former supporter of Raman, said conversations with other former backers indicated that unreliability was "Raman's way." He concluded that she is not the dependable politician Los Angeles needs during this pivotal era. "Unfortunately. Not the kind of change that is going to help this city we both love," Black told Scheer ^[1]. The shift in support highlights the growing tension within Los Angeles politics as the 2028 Games approach, with prominent cultural figures weighing in on the leadership required to deliver on global promises.