Actresses Holly Robinson Peete and Lacey Chabert were named in a lawsuit filed against the Hallmark studio by a casting director who said the network discriminated against her and them because of their age.
The Oct. 9 legal complaint by casting director Penny Perry, 79, was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court and named Lisa Hamilton Daly, who works as the network’s executive vice president of programming, in revised documents. by Variety Wednesday.
Perry’s lawyers said Hamilton Daly called Robinson Peete, 60, and Chabert, 42, “old talent” producers who needed to find replacements on future projects, since both have appeared in Christmas-themed movies and shows on Hallmark Channel.
Lawyers for the casting director said Hamilton Daly told subordinates that he was against putting “older people” in roles.
Doctors in court quoted Hamilton Daly as saying of Robinson Peete: “Nobody wants her because she’s too expensive and she’s getting old.” He can no longer play leading roles.
Actresses Holly Robinson Peete, 60, and Lacey Chabert, 42, claim Hallmark executives discriminated against them because of their age in new lawsuit against the studio
Of Chabert, Hamilton Daly said, “Lacey is aging and we need to find someone like her to replace her as she ages,” the lawsuit states.
Hallmark issued a statement to Variety in response to the lawsuit that said, “We generally do not comment on pending litigation.” And although we deny these scandalous accusations, we are not going to discuss a working relationship in the media.’
Perry filed the lawsuit after saying her nine-year stint at the network ended “unceremoniously” last April, when Hamilton Daly informed her she was “too old” as the company was looking for “new talent.”
Perry’s legal team claims Hamilton Daly told the casting director that the network needed to “bring in someone who knows more young talent” and that his “leads are aging.”
A Los Angeles native, Perry has worked on several notable projects, with credits on films such as 1979’s The Jerk, 1984’s The NeverEnding Story, 1985’s Cocoon, 1987’s Summer School, 1987’s *batteries not included, and 1988’s Young Guns. and Double Team, according to iMDb.