A former Hallmark casting director’s 2024 lawsuit alleged that an executive described established actresses as “aging out” and said they should be replaced. Hallmark denied the allegations and said Lacey Chabert and Holly Robinson Peete “have a home at Hallmark.” The comments have not been established as facts by a court.
What the lawsuit alleged about Hallmark’s leading ladies
Penny Perry, a former Hallmark casting director, filed suit in Los Angeles Superior Court on October 9, 2024, alleging age and disability discrimination and wrongful termination. The Associated Press reported that her complaint attributed comments about replacing established actresses to Lisa Hamilton Daly, then Hallmark’s executive vice president of programming.
![HALLMARK HOLIDAY COLLECTION: CHRISTMAS [DVD]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51TVNzo8BSL._SL160_.jpg)
According to the complaint as reported by AP, Hamilton Daly said, “Our leading ladies are aging out.” The complaint reportedly named Lacey Chabert, Holly Robinson Peete and Teri Hatcher as examples of established performers the executive allegedly wanted to replace. AP also reported that the complaint attributed to Hamilton Daly the remark about Chabert: “Lacey’s getting older and we have to find someone like her to replace her as she gets older.”
Regarding Peete, AP reported the complaint alleged Hamilton Daly said: “No one wants her because she’s too expensive and getting too old. She can’t play leading roles anymore.” These are allegations attributed to the complaint, not independently verified quotations or findings by a court. The Associated Press’s account of the lawsuit reproduces the reported allegations.
#1 Best Overall
What Perry alleged about her own employment
The actresses’ casting prospects are not the legal claims Perry brought for herself. The Independent reported that Perry alleged she was wrongfully terminated in April 2024 after being offered a lower-level position with a pay cut of more than 50 percent, and that a younger man was hired to do her job. Perry also alleged Hallmark failed to accommodate her multiple sclerosis and said she was legally blind in one eye. These claims, too, are allegations rather than judicial findings. The Independent’s report describes Perry’s employment allegations.
How Hallmark responded
Hallmark denied the allegations. In a statement reported by AP, the company said: “Lacey and Holly have a home at Hallmark.” It added: “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.” AP also reported the company said it casts and maintains relationships with actors across many age groups and generations.
Rank #2
- Screenwriter Lucy is hired to write the script for the remake of the beloved holiday movie, His Merry Wife, that was shot on location at the beautiful Biltmore Estate. When she tips over an hourglass during a tour of the estate, she finds herself transported back in time to 1947.
What the available court record says about the case
A December 9, 2024 tentative ruling states Hallmark filed an answer to Perry’s complaint on November 20, 2024. It also says Perry sought trial preference, citing her age and serious health conditions. The Los Angeles Superior Court tentative ruling is the source for those procedural details.
A Trellis.Law case page reports an order of dismissal without prejudice dated January 15, 2025. That entry, by itself, does not establish which claims or parties it covered, why the dismissal occurred, whether it was later changed, or whether there was a settlement. The final disposition of the case could not be verified from the available record, so it would be inaccurate to say the dispute was settled or definitively resolved. The case aggregation page lists the dismissal entry.
PC Slower Than It Used to Be?
A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11Crashes, No Sound, or Screen Glitches?
Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteQuick Recap
Best Value
- Brand: Punto
- Candace Cameron Bure: 4 Movies Collection (Wm)
- Brand: Hallmark
Rank #4
- Genre: TV Drama
- Number of Discs: 2
- Number of Tracks: 0
- Playback Duration: 517
- Rating: NR
Rank #3
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
