Former Desperate Housewives star Nicollette Sheridan has sued ABC, ABC Studios, Touchstone Television, and Housewives creator Marc Cherry for $20 million, claiming she was physically assaulted by Cherry in September of 2008 and that she was fired when she complained about it.
Sheridan says Cherry struck her in the head during the show’s fifth season after she asked him about “something in the script.†The suit claims that he did apologize to Sheridan, but that he retaliated by having her character, Edie, killed off the show.
“After she complained to her employer about Cherry’s improper behavior, Cherry arranged to have Sheridan terminated from the show, resulting in her losing millions in future earnings,†the statement claims.
When she brought the matter to the attention of ABC, she claims neither the network nor the production company took any action.
And just in case this all wasn’t enough drama for you, there’s this: The suit alleges that when Cherry found out actress Teri Hatcher had gone over his head to file a complaint about his behavior, he said: “I hope Teri Hatcher gets hit by a car and dies,†which officially makes this lawsuit way more intriguing than anything that has ever happened on the actual show.
Nicollette Sheridan claims ‘Desperate Housewives’ creator assaulted, fired her [THR, Esq./HR]
Sheridan: ‘Housewives’ Creator Attacked Me [TMZ]