Could Soap Stars Like Alison Sweeney Could Get Phased Out On Hallmark Channel?

Days of our Lives alum Alison Sweeney starred in her 30th Hallmark film. Unfortunately, it could be her last one. As revealed in a lawsuit, Hallmark was accused of phasing out its older actresses. This suggests you might see fewer of your favorite soap stars on the network. 

Details of the Hallmark Media Lawsuit

The lawsuit did not mention Sweeney’s name; it only named Hallmark’s talents, Holly Robinson Peete and Lacey Chabert. According to a new report via Variety, Hallmark Media’s executive vice president of programming, Hamilton Daly, said they didn’t want to book “old people” who didn’t fit their view of the network. 

Daly mentioned Peete and Chabert as “old talent” that should be “replaced.” The actresses are 60 and 42, respectively. Both have starred in original and holiday movies. Daly allegedly said Chabert is too “old” for the network while Peete is “too expensive and getting too old.” 

The person behind the lawsuit is former casting director Penny Perry. The 79-year-old was allegedly pushed out of her position after nine years. Daly wanted a casting director who would bring fresh talent to the network. Despite Daly’s claims, Hallmark released a statement about the lawsuit.

“Lacey and Holly have a home at Hallmark. We do not generally comment on pending litigation. And while we deny these outrageous allegations, we are not going to discuss an employment relationship in the media,” Hallmark told Variety.

The media company first hired Daly in September 2021. She previously worked for A+E and Netflix. Neither Chabert nor Peete spoke out about the lawsuit. It’s unclear whether the network will continue to press forward with these changes.

Many soap stars appear in Hallmark movies and television shows, especially during holidays. The network attracts the 18-49 demographic, who like to see themselves represented in the content.