The Moment
David Del Rio has quietly stepped back into the public eye, not with a statement, not with a press conference, but with an inflatable gingerbread man.
The actor, best known for roles in Pitch Perfect and the recent Matlock reboot, returned to Instagram Stories over the weekend to share a cozy holiday family photo. In the shot, he’s smiling alongside his wife, Katherine Del Rio, and their two young daughters, posing in front of a giant gingerbread decoration.
His caption kept things light and grateful: “Belated Thanksgiving fun! Deeply thankful for my family – who always show up for the girls and I.”
On its own, it’s a sweet, harmless family moment. But context is everything. This is his first notable social-media appearance since he was fired from CBS’ Matlock in October after co-star Leah Lewis accused him of sexual assault. A New York-based celebrity news outlet reported that CBS confirmed he had “departed the series,” while a Hollywood trade publication said the network conducted an internal investigation before he was let go.
His character, Billy Martinez, is now being written out of the show as the cast returns to film the second half of Season 2. Meanwhile, Lewis, who plays Sarah Franklin on the series and previously appeared on Nancy Drew, told followers she was “moving forward in love and strength.” Del Rio’s wife, Katherine, publicly blasted Lewis online, calling her “the most disturbing human being” she had ever met.
So no, this wasn’t just a gingerbread-and-gratitude moment. It was a soft re-entry into public life after extremely serious on-set allegations.
The Take
I’m all for a wholesome holiday post, but the timing here? It’s doing a lot of heavy lifting.
We’ve seen this move before: when a celebrity is facing serious accusations, the first thing back on their feed is almost never, “Here’s what happened, here’s what I’m doing about it.” It’s a family picture. A pet. A sunset. In this case, it’s Thanksgiving leftovers and an inflatable gingerbread man acting as unofficial crisis PR.
To be very clear: these are allegations of sexual assault, not proven facts in a court of law. CBS did an internal investigation and then Del Rio was gone. That’s not the same as a criminal conviction, but it’s also not nothing, especially in an industry that used to quietly shuffle people from set to set instead of cutting ties.
What strikes me is the split-screen we’re watching in real time. On one side, Leah Lewis telling fans she’s “in good hands” and trying to move forward. On the other, Del Rio’s wife publicly calling Lewis “the most disturbing human being I have ever met,” and now this warm, family-first Instagram moment from Del Rio himself.
It’s the modern version of a courtroom drama: only instead of cross-examination, we get Instagram Stories, subtweets, and “moving forward” captions.
The gingerbread-man photo doesn’t address the allegations. It doesn’t acknowledge the investigation. It doesn’t even nod at the fact that his character is being written out of Matlock. It simply re-centers the narrative on his role as husband and dad – which, let’s be honest, is a very deliberate way for a celebrity to say, “See me as a family man, not a headline.”
There’s nothing wrong with leaning on your loved ones when life implodes. But when accusations are this serious, a cozy picture can feel less like healing and more like image repositioning. It’s like trying to fix a cracked foundation by repainting the front door – nice effort, but the house still needs an inspection.
Receipts
David Del Rio makes unexpected return to Instagram after ‘Matlock’ firing over sexual assault allegations https://t.co/as714siT7Q pic.twitter.com/sq1tVMLJQA
— Page Six (@PageSix) December 7, 2025
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Here’s what’s solid versus what’s still in the rumor-and-reporting zone:
Confirmed
- Del Rio shared a family holiday photo on his Instagram Stories with a “Belated Thanksgiving” caption expressing gratitude for his family, as seen in screenshots circulated by a New York-based celebrity news outlet on December 7, 2025.
- CBS confirmed that Del Rio “departed” the Matlock series in October, per statements given to entertainment press at the time.
- A major Hollywood trade publication reported that CBS conducted an internal investigation before his departure was finalized.
- Insiders told that same trade outlet the alleged incident between Del Rio and Leah Lewis took place on Paramount premises on September 26, 2025.
- Leah Lewis posted on social media that she was “moving forward in love and strength” and thanked fans for their support, sharing a photo with her mother.
- Katherine Del Rio publicly called Lewis “the most disturbing human being I have ever met” in an October social-media post.
- Del Rio’s character, Billy Martinez, is being written out of Matlock as the production completes Season 2.
Unverified / Not Publicly Established
- Whether any criminal charges or civil lawsuits have been filed related to the alleged assault; none have been publicly reported as of this writing.
- The detailed findings of CBS’ internal investigation; the company has not released specifics.
- Exactly what happened on the day of the alleged incident; only limited accounts from unnamed insiders have surfaced in the press.
Backstory (For Casual Readers)
If you’re just tuning in: this is all tied to the new Matlock reboot, the legal drama inspired by the classic Andy Griffith series. David Del Rio, 38, had been cast as Billy Martinez, a young lawyer on the team, while Leah Lewis played another attorney, Sarah Franklin. Both were part of the ensemble around the show’s lead.
In late September 2025, alleged misconduct involving Del Rio and Lewis reportedly occurred on Paramount’s lot. After an internal probe by the network, Del Rio was quietly removed from the series in October. CBS publicly framed it as a departure but did not spell out the reasons. Soon after, Lewis posted that she was focusing on moving forward, while Del Rio’s wife lashed out at Lewis online.
Since then, Del Rio has largely gone silent on social media – until this new holiday family photo, which lands as the unofficial start of his attempt to re-enter the public conversation without directly addressing the storm that took him off TV.
What’s Next
From here, several things bear watching – and some of them may unfold very slowly.
On the professional side, Matlock will have to navigate writing out a main character mid-season. How the show explains Billy Martinez’s absence on-screen will say a lot about how comfortable CBS is even brushing against the controversy in front of viewers.
On the personal and public front, Del Rio’s Instagram return may just be a test balloon. If the response to the family content is mostly supportive or quiet, don’t be surprised if we see more carefully curated “normal life” posts and, eventually, a sit-down interview or written statement. If the backlash is strong, he may retreat again or stay in this vague, family-only lane.
For Lewis, the focus appears to be on work and healing; she’s publicly framed her mindset as moving forward with support from loved ones. Whether she says more in detail – perhaps through an official statement or future interview – is entirely up to her and, potentially, her legal team.
Legally, there’s been no public sign yet of criminal charges or civil actions tied to the alleged incident. That could change, or this could remain one of those cases that lives in HR files, closed-door meetings, and fan debates instead of court records.
What’s clear is that the public narrative is just starting to take shape. A gingerbread-filled Instagram Story doesn’t close the book on serious allegations – it only signals that one of the key players is ready to be seen again.
Question for you: When a celebrity faces serious on-set misconduct allegations, does a quiet family post feel like a fair first step back – or should you expect a direct statement before any soft-focus comeback?
Sources: Reporting and statements compiled from a New York-based celebrity news site (Dec. 7, 2025) and a Hollywood trade publication (Oct. 2025), along with public social-media posts from Leah Lewis and Katherine Del Rio.
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