Former “Desperate Housewives” actor Nicollette Sheridan, 46, filed a lawsuit against ABC last April claiming sex discrimination, age discrimination, assault and battery, and wrongful termination. In the original document, Sheridan alleged that Marc Cherry, the show’s creator, hit her in the face while on set. Last month, Sheridan amended the lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court to say that ABC killed off her character in retaliation for her complaints.
Sheridan alleges that she had filed a complaint about the incident with ABC and the network had investigated the allegations. She says that ABC told her that they found she had only been tapped lightly on the head in order to give directions for a scene. She says that her employer left the matter at that and told Sheridan that they would continue to work together with professionalism and courtesy. Sheridan believes that her character, Edie Britt, was killed off the show two months later in retaliation for the incident.
Rather than settle the case, the network is aggressively fighting it. They have hired high-power attorneys who have requested private documents from her. These documents could include medical records that attest to any physical and mental pain she suffered.
Sheridan is reportedly seeking $20 million in damages for wrongful termination, discrimination, and assault and battery.
Source:
Former Housewife Sheridan amends assault complaint (BBC News)