Halloween is approaching and Thanksgiving is just over a month away, which means soon you’ll be watching some Hallmark Christmas movies. And fans who enjoy the cozy films on the network’s schedule will want to hear about a new lawsuit.
Penny Perry, who was once a casting executive at Hallmark, sued the network for wrongful termination, defamation, and discrimination based on her age. According to Deadline, she alleged that Lisa Hamilton Daly, the EVP of programming, said something terrible about star Lacey Chabert. According to the lawsuit, Daly said, “Lacey’s getting older, and we have to find someone like her to replace her as she gets older.”
Perry alleges that Daly said both Chabert and Holly Robinson Peete are too ancient to keep starring in Hallmark’s holiday films. Since Chabert is 42 and Peete is 60, this is both shocking and totally unsurprising (but still disappointing).
As Hallmark’s official statement reads, “Lacey and Holly have a home at Hallmark” and “we deny these outrageous allegations” but will stay silent on “an employment relationship.” The lawsuit, which is 37 pages, alleges Daly said “Our leading ladies are aging out. We need to find new talent to take their place.” Daly also allegedly fired Perry for being “too long in the tooth.” Perry said that after she had surgery on her heart, she learned she couldn’t keep her current title at her current salary. If she wanted to stay, she would be paid 50% less. And she needed to say yes or no within two days.
It’s important to note there is no proof that Daly did make these comments, but if they’re true, it’s hard not to feel frustrated and angry. Several X users commented on the lawsuit and shared how upset they are since they want to keep seeing Peete and Chabert on their small screens.
Both actresses seem safe at the network, for now. Chabert may be starring in a Netflix movie called Hot Frosty, but she’s also starring in the upcoming Hallmark film His & Hers. In 2022, Peete signed a Crown Media Family Networks contract that suggests she will keep telling these holiday tales. However, if an exec did say both stars are “old,” it’s almost too ridiculous to even think about. I’m not going to say what 42 or 60 “looks like” since everyone is beautiful and it’s problematic to suggest people need to look one way or another as they get older. But let’s just admit it: Chabert and Peete look fantastic.
I do have to wonder, is there really an age limit to telling love, friendship, and family stories? What about celebrating Christmas? If your movies are all about capturing the magic of this time of year and remembering when you were a giddy kid excited about waking up on December 25th, how can there be an age cap on that? Besides the obligatory remark about Hollywood’s unfair obsession with youth, no one wants to see less of Chabert or Peete or any of the other talented actresses.
Hallmark has come under fire in the past few years, like that time when One Million Moms convinced the network to stop airing a same-sex wedding ad. Fans and critics have also noted for a while that Hallmark movies aren’t diverse enough. If an exec did say these comments about Chabert and Peete’s ages, it definitely isn’t helping matters.
Published: Oct 24, 2024 01:51 pm