Nicollette Sheridan Files $20 Million Lawsuit Against Desperate Housewives Creator
April 6 2010, Published 10:36 a.m. ET
Former Desperate Housewives’ star Nicollette Sheridan has filed an explosive lawsuit against her former boss, show creator Marc Cherry, claiming, among other things, he physically assaulted her and wrongfully fired her from the hit ABC dramady.
RadarOnline.com has obtained a copy of the lawsuit filed Monday in Los Angeles Superior Court. In the shocking suit, Sheridan accuses Cherry of assault and battery, gender violence, intentional infliction of emotional distress and wrongful termination. The actress, 46, is seeking $20 million in damages.
LEGAL DOCUMENT: READ Nicollette Sheridan’s Shocking Lawsuit
Sheridan -- who played sexy neighbor Edie Britt for nearly five years on the show -- alleges that “on September 24, 2008, during a rehearsal for the show, when Sheridan questioned Cherry about something that was in the script, Cherry took her aside and forcefully hit her with his hand across her face and head."
The suit says Cherry “created a hostile work environment for the cast, crew and writers who work on the show, and Sheridan in particular.”
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Sheridan says Cherry later “begged for forgiveness,” and although she reported the incident to ABC, “Cherry’s abusive and aggressive behavior towards (her) not only persisted, it worsened.”
The suit also contends that when Cherry discovered Desperate Housewives’ co-star Teri Hatcher went over Cherry’s head to speak to ABC executives about him, he said, “I hope Teri Hatcher gets hit by a car and dies.”
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Sheridan says that in February 2009, she was informed that she was being terminated from the show, and that her character would be killed off. Her suit claims her firing cost her millions of dollars in future earnings.
In addition to Cherry, the suit also names Touchstone Television, ABC Studios, and ABC Entertainment group.
In the suit, Sheridan requests a jury trial.