Hallmark Media executive vice president of programming Lisa Hamilton Daly instructed a former employee not to cast “old people” for Hallmark roles, saying that “our leading ladies are aging out,” according to a lawsuit filed against the network this month and obtained by The Associated Press.
Penny Perry, a 79-year old casting director who filed the lawsuit Oct. 9 in Los Angeles Superior Court, alleges that she was wrongfully fired from the network known its feel-good movies because of her age, and despite stellar performance reviews. "Hallmark’s happy endings are stories made for TV only," the complaint says. “In Ms. Perry’s case, there was no happy ending, and no feel-good episode to wrap up her career with Hallmark. Instead, her finale episode was marred by ageist and ableist harassment, and a callous termination which robbed her of her illustrious career, her pride, and her well-being.”
In a statement, Hallmark denied the allegations, adding: “Hallmark continues to consistently cast and maintain positive, productive relationships with talented actors representing a broad spectrum of diversity, including actors who span many age groups and cross generations.”
According to the lawsuit, Hamilton Daly told Perry that they needed to "replace" the “old talent" including 42-year-old actress Lacey Chabert, who has starred in dozens of Hallmark movies, many of them Christmas-themed, and portrayed Gretchen Wieners in Mean Girls (2004), saying Chabert is “getting older and we have to find someone like her to replace her as she gets older.”
The lawsuit adds that Hamilton Daly said of 60-year-old actress and “Our Christmas Journey” star Holly Robinson Peete: “No one wants her because she’s too expensive and getting too old. She can’t play leading roles anymore.”
Hallmark countered: “Lacey and Holly have a home at Hallmark. We do not generally comment on pending litigation. And while we deny these outrageous allegations, we are not going to discuss an employment relationship in the media,” a company representative told AP in an emailed statement.
Chabert stars in a new Hallmark movie, The Christmas Quest, slated for release Dec. 1, and hosts the reality series “Celebrations with Lacey Chabert,” according to Hallmark's website. Representatives for Chabert and Robinson Peete did not immediately respond to request for comment.
Perry herself endured ageist and ableist harassment at the company, and Hamilton Daly — who apparently repeatedly made reference to age as a negative attribute that did not fit the network's image — “told Ms. Perry she was too 'long in the tooth” to keep her job at Hallmark,” the lawsuit says. It also alleges that senior vice president of programming and development Randy Pope ridiculed Perry for her relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis by mocking her when she mispronounced words or names — a symptom of the condition.
"Unfortunately, Hallmark treated a venerable Hollywood veteran this way and we hope this action will lead to change in Hollywood and all work environments,” said a statement from Perry’s attorneys Lisa Sherman and Josh Schein.
The allegations arrive amid a period of turmoil for Hollywood, punctuated by historic labor strikes, the pandemic, and the streaming revolution.
The Associated Press’ women in the workforce and state government coverage receives financial support from Pivotal Ventures. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.
FILE - Holly Robinson Peete attends the 8th annual Blue Jacket Fashion Show at Moonlight Studios on Thursday, Feb. 1, 2024, in New York. (Photo by CJ Rivera/Invision/AP, File)
FILE - Lacey Chabert poses for a portrait to promote the Hallmark television series "Celebrations with Lacey Chabert" during the Summer Television Critics Association Press Tour on Thursday, July 11, 2024, at The Langham Huntington Hotel in Pasadena, Calif. (Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP, File)
INZAI CITY, Japan (AP) — Nico Echavarria shot 5-under 65 on Saturday and finished with a tap-in eagle on the 18th for a two-shot lead over Justin Thomas after the third round of the Zozo Championship.
Echavarria is aiming for his second victory on the PGA Tour after winning last year in Puerto Rico. Thomas has won 15 times on the PGA Tour, but is without a victory in 2 1/2 years since winning the 2022 PGA Championship.
Max Greyserman, looking for his first PGA Tour win, carded a 64 and is three back. Three more are six behind and still in the mix: Kevin Yu (66), Rickie Fowler (67) and Nate Lashley (63).
“I mean, that’s the way you want to finish a round,” said Echavarria, who hit a 5-wood to 2 feet for the tap-in on the 550-yard hole. “I had a good tee shot, hit a really good second shot and finished with an eagle. I prefer that than a birdie obviously.”
The 30-year-old Echavarria, a Colombian who played at the University of Arkansas, saved par on the 12th with a difficult downhill chip from thick rough on his third shot, and then dropped a clutch putt.
It might have saved his round.
"I started getting shaky on the back nine with a bogey on 9 and an incredible save on 12," he said. “But we finished the round as well as we could.”
Echavarria is 17-under 193 at the par-70 Narashino Country Club, located about 50 miles outside central Tokyo.
Thomas won his first major in 2017 — again the PGA Championship — and rose to No. 1 in the world golf rankings in 2018. Now he's trying to recapture the feeling.
“It’s obviously tough,” he said. “It’s hard to win at any stage, doesn’t matter who you are.”
He said early success might have made it look easier than it is.
“To yourself and everybody else,” he added.
“At the end of the day it has been a while, but I’ve still won a pretty good amount of golf tournaments. I know how to win. It’s just a matter of executing and doing it and that’s really been the biggest difference. There’s a reason there’s only one every week.”
Fowler, who tied for the runner-up two years ago and has connections to Japan, suggested he was close to making a run.
“There’s been a lot of good signs, but over the past few events I just haven’t really put it all together," he said. "So I’m looking forward to getting out there and hopefully we can get a good one going.”
The pre-tournament favorites are far out of contention.
Defending champion Collin Morikawa shot 70 and was 13 shots behind, as is Xander Schauffele after a 68.
Japanese favorite Hideki Matsuyama shot 66 — his best round of the tournament — but is 15 shots off the lead.
AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf
Max Greyserman of the United States lines up a putt on the 15th green in the third round of the PGA Tour Zozo Championship at the Narashino Country Club in Inzai on the outskirts of Tokyo, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Tomohiro Ohsumi)
Max Greyserman of the United States hits his tee shot on the 15th hole in the third round of the PGA Tour Zozo Championship at the Narashino Country Club in Inzai on the outskirts of Tokyo, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Tomohiro Ohsumi)
Justin Thomas of the United States walks infront of zozo logo on the 16th hole in the third round of the PGA Tour Zozo Championship at the Narashino Country Club in Inzai on the outskirts of Tokyo, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Tomohiro Ohsumi)
Justin Thomas of the United States reacts after a putt on the 17th hole in the third round of the PGA Tour Zozo Championship at the Narashino Country Club in Inzai on the outskirts of Tokyo, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Tomohiro Ohsumi)
Justin Thomas of the United States hits his tee shot on the 17th hole in the third round of the PGA Tour Zozo Championship at the Narashino Country Club in Inzai on the outskirts of Tokyo, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Tomohiro Ohsumi)
Nico Echavarria of Colombia, right, hits his tee shot on the 18th hole in the third round of the PGA Tour Zozo Championship at the Narashino Country Club in Inzai on the outskirts of Tokyo, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Tomohiro Ohsumi)
Nico Echavarria of Colombia acknowledges the fans after putting on the 17th green in the third round of the PGA Tour Zozo Championship at the Narashino Country Club in Inzai on the outskirts of Tokyo, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Tomohiro Ohsumi)
Nico Echavarria of Colombia is seen on the 16th hole in the third round of the PGA Tour Zozo Championship at the Narashino Country Club in Inzai on the outskirts of Tokyo, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Tomohiro Ohsumi)
