Lacey Chabert.
Phillip Faraone/Getty Photos for Hallmark MediaA former Hallmark casting agent filed an age discrimination lawsuit alleging that network executive Lisa Hamilton Daly wanted to stop casting “older people” as Laura Chabert and Holly Robinson Peete in his movies.
Penny Perrywho filed Oct. 9 in Los Angeles Superior Court, claims Hamilton Daly, Hallmark's executive vice president of programming, cited Chabert, 42, and Robinson Peete, 60, as examples of “old talent.” that they should be “replaced,” according to documents obtained by Variety on Wednesday, October 23.
In the lawsuit, Hamilton Daly is quoted as saying that Chabert is “aging and we need to find someone like her to replace her as she ages.”
As for Robinson Peete, Hamilton reportedly said: “No one wants her because she's too expensive and she's getting older. “He can no longer play leading roles.”
Perry, 79, says she was fired in April after working with the Hallmark Channel for nine years and had received a strong performance evaluation two months earlier.
But according to the casting veteran, Hamilton Daly often told her she was “too old” and tried to push her out of the company while he looked to hire “new talent.”
“We need to bring in someone who knows more young talent,” the suit quotes Hamilton Daly. “Our protagonists are aging.”
Us weekly has contacted Hallmark reps Chabert and Robinson Peete for comment.
Hallmark Channel has become the one-stop shop for holiday movies and light-hearted romantic comedies over the years, with many fans tuning in to watch their favorite leading ladies. Whether it's When Calls the Coronary heart's Erin Krakow or Candy Autumn star Nikki DeLoach, the network is full of talented women telling heartwarming stories. Hallmark's long list […]
Perry's casting credits include Cocoon, Common People and The idiotas well as numerous Hallmark Christmas movies, most recently A Christmas at Biltmore and Vacation Hotline.
Hamilton Daly joined Hallmark in 2021 after working at Netflix and A+E Networks.
Perry claims that under the executive's leadership, her office was moved to a different floor and she was excluded from meetings as one of her projects was taken on by a consultant working outside of Hallmark, according to Variety. She alleges that Hallmark filled her position with a younger man after letting her go.
The lawsuit comes as Hallmark prepares to launch its “Countdown to Christmas” programming with 47 all-new original films spanning all of its platforms.
Chabert appears alongside Kristoffer Polaha in The search for Christmaswhich premieres on December 1 and follows the adventures of an archaeologist and her ex-husband who travel to Iceland in search of treasure. The actress is an executive producer of the film. She also presents an actuality present, Celebrations with Lacey Chaberton the Hallmark streaming service.
“These movies mean a lot to me. “I really am genuine when I say that,” Chabert said exclusively. Us in October 2021 from its long-standing partnership with Hallmark. “They're not just jobs, and I feel a responsibility to the public to make the best movie I can.”
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