Penny Perry Sues Hallmark for Age Discrimination

A lawsuit has been filed against Hallmark by Penny Perry, a 79-year-old former casting director, alleging age discrimination by network executive Lisa Hamilton Daly. The suit claims that Daly sought to replace 'old talent,' including actresses Holly Robinson Peete, 60, and Lacey Chabert, 42, citing them as too old and expensive for leading roles. Daly allegedly stated the need for younger stars and aimed to replace Perry with someone more familiar with young talent. Perry, who was abruptly fired after nearly a decade with the company, asserts that her termination was due to her age, despite receiving positive performance reviews. The lawsuit also includes claims of wrongful termination, defamation, and failure to accommodate Perry's disabilities. Hallmark has denied these allegations, asserting that Peete and Chabert have a home at the network, while declining to comment further on the litigation.