Why Is the Hallmark Channel Being Sued? Inside Lawsuit

The Hallmark Channel has discovered itself on the heart of a lawsuit after a former casting director for the community claimed that an government on the firm wished the “previous expertise” changed with youthful actors. The story concerning the age discrimination lawsuit broke proper earlier than Hallmark’s hottest time of 12 months, the Christmas holidays.

Why Is Hallmark Being Sued?

Penny Perry, a former casting director for the channel, accused “Hallmark government VP of programming Lisa Hamilton Daly, Senior Vice President of Programming and Improvement Randy Pope and Vice President of Human Assets Paul Hodgkinson of wrongful termination, age and incapacity discrimination, defamation, retaliation, and intentional infliction of emotional misery,” based on the court docket paperwork obtained by People.

Within the paperwork, Perry alleged that Hamilton Daly made the choice that Perry was “too previous to work in her place and maneuvered to push her out of the corporate.”

Hamilton Daly was additionally accused of telling Perry that Hallmark wanted “to usher in somebody who is aware of extra younger expertise” and that the channel’s “main girls are growing older out.” Perry claimed that Hamilton Daly then went on to particularly point out actresses Lacey Chabert, Holly Robinson Peete and Terri Hatcher as examples of “previous expertise,” based on the court docket submitting. On the time of publication, Chabert is 42 years previous, Robinson Peete is 60 and Hatcher is 59.

“Lacey’s getting older and we’ve to seek out somebody like her to interchange her as she will get older,” Perry claimed Hamilton Daly stated.

As for Robinson Peete, Perry alleged that Hamilton Daly stated that “nobody needs” her and, “She’s too costly and getting too previous. She will be able to’t play main roles anymore.”

Has Hallmark Responded to the Lawsuit?

A spokesperson for the community launched a press release on October 24, 2024, and denied all the claims.

“Lacey and Holly have a house at Hallmark. We don’t usually touch upon pending litigation. And whereas we deny these outrageous allegations, we’re not going to debate an employment relationship within the media,” the assertion given to Folks learn.

What Different Complaints Did Penny Perry Make within the Hallmark Lawsuit?

Alongside together with her claims that Hallmark executives had been actively pushing out “older” actresses, Perry alleged that she was additionally a sufferer of ageism on the firm. Perry had been with the community because the ‘70s and he or she claimed to have all the time gotten glorious evaluations, however she alleged that she was abruptly fired in April 2024. Her substitute was a youthful man, and within the court docket paperwork, Perry claimed that Hamilton Daly had instructed her she was “too lengthy within the tooth” on a couple of event.

Perry claimed that her workplace was moved to a special ground and he or she was excluded from conferences. She additionally stated her casting obligations got to an outdoor supply on at the very least one undertaking.

Perry stated that she skilled “vile and ageist conduct” whereas working at Hallmark however that it was “straight from Hallmark’s playbook once they sought to push out different workers of their 60s and 70s due to their age.”