Former Hallmark casting director Penny Perry claims the network engaged in “despicable and ageist conduct” against cast and crew members.

Age discrimination lawsuit claims Hallmark executive said she didn’t want to hire ‘old talent,’ citing Holly Robinson Peete and Lacey Chabert as examples, saying they didn’t fit the bill channel image.

Penny Perry, 79, a casting director at Hallmark for nearly a decade, filed the lawsuit Oct. 9 in Los Angeles Superior Court.

In it, she accused defendants Hallmark Executive Vice President of Programming Lisa Hamilton Daly, Senior Vice President of Programming and Development Randy Pope and Vice President of Human Resources Paul Hodgkinson of firing. abusive, age and disability discrimination, defamation, retaliation and intentional infliction of emotional harm. distress.

Perry alleges that Hamilton Daly decided she was “too old for her position and maneuvered to push her out of the company” as part of his goal to find “new talent.”

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“We need to bring in someone who knows more about young talent,” the executive said of Perry, according to the suit. “Our leading ladies are getting older.” Hamilton Daly reportedly specifically cited Robinson Peete, 60, Chabert, 42, Teri Hatcher, 59, and several others as “old talents” who need to be “replaced.”

“Lacey is getting older and we need to find someone like her to replace her as she gets older,” Hamilton Daly was quoted as saying. She also said that “no one wants” Robinson Peete. “It is too expensive and is getting old. She can no longer play leading roles.

Hallmark denied the allegations in a statement to Variety and Deadline. “Lacey and Holly have a house in Hallmark. We generally do not comment on pending litigation. And while we deny these scandalous allegations, we will not discuss a working relationship in the media,” the statement read.

Perry, a casting director for films and television shows since the 1970s, said she received good annual performance reviews, including one in February, but was abruptly fired in April. She claims to have been fired and replaced by a younger man. According to the complaint, Hamilton Daly repeatedly told her that her “teeth were too long.”

Perry claims “despicable, ageist conduct” is “straight out of the Hallmark playbook when they sought to oust other employees in their 60s and 70s because of their age.”

She alleges that she was excluded from meetings, that her office was moved to another floor and that, on one project, her casting responsibilities were given to an outside consultant. Additionally, according to the lawsuit, Perry alleges that the studio failed to take into account his multiple sclerosis and one-eyed blindness.

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Perry’s lawyers and a representative for Hallmark did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for more information on Wednesday.

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