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Freelance writer Dominic Patten is a Deadline contributor
Nicollette Sheridan was never one of the stars of Desperate Housewives, the lead defense attorney in her suit against Housewives creator/executive producer Marc Cherry asserted today. Lining up to show that the death of Sheridan’s character Edie Britt was not an unusual occurrence for a network show, defense attorney Adam Levin went to great lengths to show that the actress was not of the same stature as Marcia Cross, Eva Longoria, Felicity Huffman and Teri Hatcher on the hit ABC series. Levin cited pay differences between Sheridan and the other actresses; that Sheridan was not featured in a group shot in the show’s opening sequence; and that Sheridan was only nominated for a best supporting role by the Golden Globes in 2005 and never a best actress Globe or Emmy, as others on the show were.
Just before the court adjourned at noon today, the defense, which had been bedeviled by technical issues throughout its presentation, showed a seven-minute video of all the characters, including Sheridan’s Edie character, who had been killed off of Wisteria Lane during the show’s run. The video elicited frequent laughter from the jury and spectators.
Levity was not the order of the day earlier. “He hit me and he hit me hard, sir!” That’s what a very upset Sheridan told Levin on the stand. The attorney was seeking to drill into apparent contradictions in depositions and signed statements in which the actress referred to Cherry either slapping or hitting her on the head on set on September 24, 2008.
Sheridan claimed she had no idea why the descriptions differed and that such legalities are “all very new to me” in response to a persistent Levin, who played clips from the actress’ December 23, 2011 video deposition. Sheridan called Levin’s questioning “ridiculous” and the actress asserted that she had always maintained that Cherry hit her. “I said it then, it is not OK to hit me”. Sheridan later told the court about talking to Cherry on the day she says he hit her about a line of her dialogue that had been cut out and the trepidation she had about asking him to reinsert or replace it. “It is a touchy subject sometimes approaching Marc.”
The trial resumes at 9:30 AM Monday with Sheridan still on the stand.
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Yet she was used in all the posters and other press materials in those group shots with the other ladies year after year. Not a star of the show my ass! Surprised that Cherry’s pathetic lawyers didn’t go all the way and try to tell us she was just an extra.
I agree that the lawyers should portray Nicollette Sheridan as part of an ensemble; however, Nicollette Sheridan was more famous and more widely known from movies (The Sure Thing) to TV (Knots Landing) than any of the other women when the show was launched. It was well known that there was friction between her and Cherry, but when it came to to kill Edie off on the show, it was done so with gleeful malice. Not only was she chased out of her home pursued by a murderous Neal McDonough, only to crash her into a telephone/electric pole. When she survived that, she staggered out of her car and was then electrocuted.
Marc Cherry sure showed her!
Thank you. I thought at the time that her character’s demise was much in the way DH kills off villains, kind of in a funny ‘she’ll get hers,’ kind of way, which was in opposition to the way her character was part of the ensemble and liked by viewers. I said then, ‘boy, someone must not like her on set,’ – never did I realize cherry was exacting his revenge. What a horrible little man.
She was not even married when the show began so how could she be a “Housewife”? She seemed like an extra character to fill out the neighborhood. And the show is a comedy so of course she died in a humorous way. She was always an unlikeable character, I was glad when she gone.
“She was not even married when the show began so how could she be a “Housewife”? ”
LOL…hmm…was Susan Mayer (Teri Hatcher) married when the show began ? Was she even married at all in the first 3 seasons… OR in the fifth ? Great argument, you have there…
LOL! Exactly.
“Levin cited pay differences between Sheridan and the other actresses; that Sheridan was not featured in a group shot in the show’s opening sequence; and that Sheridan was only nominated for a best supporting role by the Golden Globes in 2005 and never a best actress Globe or Emmy, as others on the show were.”
SURE, she was never a star of the show…probably that’s why they paid her the kind of salary that made her one of the best paid TV actresses back then.
SURE, “Sheridan was not featured in a group shot in the show’s opening sequence”, yet which of the 5 actresses spent a week in the center of the sports world as a key figure in a controversial skit preceding ABC’s “NFL Monday Night Football” in which she ran supposedly nude into the arms of Philadelphia WR Terrell Owens ? The same skit that was designed to bring viewers to ‘Desperate Housewives’, whose next episode posted the show’s highest numbers to date.
SURE, she only received a Golden Globe nomination and no Emmy-love at all…so ? Eva Longoria received only one Golden Globe nomination and not one Emmy nod, too…so what ? Suddenly, she isn’t a star of the show, either, because other cast members happened to get more awards and nominations ? Ridiculous argument, Levin !
Bottom line : Claiming Nicolette Sheridan was never A (!) star of the show, is utterly ridiculous. She might not have been THE star (that would have been hard considering it’s an ensemble), but she was most certainly A star of the show. If that’s the best they can come up with, they might as well just pay her the big bucks already.
So defense has established that it’s all right to physically abuse an actress if she has not won a Golden Globe for best actress.
I love this dirty town.
seriously, how about a little reality check.
while hitting is not right, the trial is NOT ABOUT HIM HITTING HER! the trial is about if she was KILLED OFF because of complaining he hit her. And she clearly wasn’t as the decision was made prior to the incident.
If she wants to sue him for actually HITTING her, then that’s a whole ‘nother matter and something she should absolutely pursue.
so no, his lawyers aren’t saying it was okay to HIT her because she wasn’t a lead actress, they’re merely pointing out that it wasn’t uncommon to kill a SUPPORTING ACTRESS off a network (or any other for that matter) series. and no matter how you slice it, she always was a supporting actress,
I think you are inadvertently pointing out that Cherry’s lawyers are demonstrating that if there’s an actress you don’t like, that you want gone – and that you’d also like to humiliate and cut down to size with a wallop to the head in front of her peers, then for legal reasons only hit her AFTER you make plans to dump her? Gotcha.
I was working at a major studio on a big budget film and was forcibly pushed against a wall,screamed at threatened and then fired on the spot because the BIG studio producer couldn’t place a long distance call on the stage phone and I couldn’t tell him why. I complained to the studio department head and the only thing that happened was that I’ve never been hired there since.
This is a dirty little town and I don’t love it.
I’m sorry that happened to you. That’s Bullshit!
This is just too juicy! I can’t wait to see how it develops. Sucks following it in real time though lol.
Not only is she in the promotional ads for the series…she is included with the others on DVD covers for the seasons she was on the show. I think the only time she WASN’T featured with the other women was at the very end of the title credits.
Yep. What I also still remember is that after season 3, ABC stopped releasing individual promo shots of the less important characters to the press. From the beginning of season 4, they only released individual promo shots of the show’s stars and those were Hatcher, Huffman, Cross, Longoria AND Sheridan.
He hit her, end of story. I really don’t understand why this wasn’t settled, both Cherry and ABC will come out of this smelling sour, not Nicolette. She should be commended for taking this fight all the way.
she’s lucky she didn’t get roughed up a little more, being only a supporting actor. (sarcasm alert for the weak of mind)
s
Oh she was a star from the very beginning. Remember the infamous vanity fair cover, who’s at the center of attention here… Sheridan is. Besides, supporting characters are often the shows biggest assets, just look at Betty White on Hot in Cleveland.
If Sheridan’s camp is smart they’ll persuade the Jury that Desperate Housewives is an ENSEMBLE show about…Desperate Housewives…and one of the MAIN HOUSEWIVES was Sheridan.
Was she the lead? No.
Was she the star? No, but who on that show really IS the SOLE star?
Plus, whenever the Housewives was on a cover of a magazine–such as Vanity Fair, or Entertainment Weekly–Sheridan was part of the Hatcher/Cross/Longoria/Huffman crew. (Sheridan was even the CENTER of the Vanity Fair cover…)
Cherry has become a crazed with power little monster; he makes me sick. Before he wrote DH on spec he was living with his mother to save money — he was broke and deep in debt. I saluted him then for writing such a great pilot but over the past eight years the wealth and power has gone to his fat head and turned him into an egomaniac. He needs to be cut down to size and I hope the jury makes a very fast ruling and gives Nicollette every dollar she’s owed plus additional money to punish Cherry and ABC for behaving like this. They are disgusting, so is their lawyer.
OK. Here’s MY question. How come Isaiah Washington gets fired for calling another actor a faggot at an awards show ceremony, but Marc Cherry is allowed to keep his development deal when it’s even suspected that he struck a colleague in the workplace? Is Disney endorsing abusive behavior between bosses and employees?
Good question!!!
Because Hollywood loves gays and hates women.
Not to split hairs but he said he didn’t call the actor a f***** at an awards ceremony. The actual offending incident reportedly took place on set.
Nicollette Sherian was always my favorite “star” on the show. Didn’t watch much in the later years after she was gone. Just sayin’.
All of this courtroom drama is more exciting than an episode of Desperate Housewives!
I haven’t watched the show since Edie Britt was killed off. She was one of the show’s stars. What a load. These Hollywood weasels need to be smacked into the real world. Guilty! Pay up Mr Cherry. BTW, you’re a vile man.
Nicollette is a bad actress, she was lucky he gave her this role with her face beings so old looking and feet dirty all the time on the show. She thinks she is like Eva L, poor thing.
Agreed on the bad actress front, but that doesn’t excuse someone hitting you upside the head, even if it’s just a tap. Sheridan’s acting ability isn’t what’s on trial.
NOBODY GETS TO LAY A HAND ON ANY ACTOR…..and you sound like a bitter party of one. She was jsut as hot- and important- as the main four…and the “wives” they kept bringing in…I agree Cherry needs to bite the dust on this one. Maybe he’ll learn…too bad she can only get 4 million.
Hollywood makes me sick! I can’t believe we’re talking about this. Admit you’re wrong Cherry. You hit her. Now move on, all of you! And Miss Sheridan….You’re done! You’re not a star and never were. Lindsay Lohan is more of a star then you’ll ever be. Quit being a whiner. Be a grown up. Things happen in the moment. That’s life. You all make me sick. I can’t believe we are talking about this.
I’ve got no dog in this hunt, never watched the show, but she was definitely one of the main characters. Any time I saw promo material during its first few years she was front and centre. It’s an ensemble and she was one of the core cast members. That said, whoever wins this case can look forward to a pyrrhic victory.
THAT’S BULLSHIT…..an EVEN if she was an extra- if he slpped her- showing her blocking or not ( and where the hell was the director? hate producers who can’t stop this crap on set) IF HE HIT HER- AT ALL- SHE DESERVES EVERY PENNY….. Cherry has knows better and needs to temper his temper.
Whoa, first there’s the issue of Cherry hitting Sheridan: did she require medical attention. Did she complain to her Union (abuse in any form is reportable, actionable, for grievances by Union – it’s a huge priority for the union!) ? I suspect that in a conversation on the set, Cherry may well have hit her – accidentally. Who knows whether he apologized. Were there witnesses, or is this a case of he said, she said?
Now, Sheridan is claiming a loss of wages. Well, boys and girls, let me tell you that as a rep for a prod co, we called her agent with an inquiry of availability for her acting services. After two such messages not being turned, I moved on. Wonder how many other indie producers’ calls went unanswered. This was well over a year after her departure from DH.
Finally there are some pretty nasty attacks on Cheerry in this blog. Some pretty personal. I know Marc, although I hardly qualify as a member of his inner circle. There is no question as to his talent – look at when he wasn’t “hands-on”. But the nature of the personal attacks sound more bitter grapes. Could it be jealousy? Envy? I suspect that it is something like that.
Finally, Sheridan brought this suit. She should graciously back-away and get agents who return phone calls. She might have an income!
To your point, I think many of these Cherry-damaging comments sound very similar to one another, as if a bunch of people at the same agency or some such were told to make statements containing certain information.
I thought the exact same thing. This sounds like Sheridan’s PR team.
Hey, genius, she wasn’t claiming loss of WORK, but loss of wages. The wages she would have made as one of the stars of a hit TV show—which is considerable.
Perhaps you didn’t get a call back because they didn’t think your project or your company was worth their time.
This guy (secret agent) sounds like a friend of a nervous Cherry’s who, worried about her lawsuit after he walloped and subsequently fired her, who was told to try and offer Sheridan ‘work’ to shut her up. She’s obviously a smart woman who didn’t fall for it. Plus, I agree with the other poster, she’s not suing for loss of work, but wages Einstein. Hello? Yet another reason she didn’t return that guy’s call, he’s a dumb azz.
Man, I’d love to be on the jury for a trial that included footage of the hilarious death of the John Slattery character.
Then again, I’d be sad to see Rex passing again.
Nicolette you go girl this asshole needs some boundaries like a 3 year old in kindergarten you don’t hit others big stupid abusive fool.
What a lame-ass excuse Cherry! Like hell she wasn’t one of the main leads. Here’s hoping Nicollette gets every penny she’s owed and MORE and that fat weasel gets a punishment to remember. Honestly, power n fame has gone into this fat weasel’s head, and he thinks he controls everything and everyone. Well, time for a little reality check, Cherry. You do not control other people’s jobs and destinies.
No studio in their right mind would want to work with this woman now. She seems to be trouble walking all over but Cherry is no saint in this either. Just settle the damn thing already, unless she’s auditioning for a new role on his other ABC show coming soon.
Sheridan is going full-force on this, and I have to give her credit.
As with ANY job, there can be issues when you are outspoken. Frequently negative.
I can well imagine that Sheridan might have wanted a better storyline, and felt empowered to ask for such.
She, and Teri Hatcher were HIGHLY promoted by production with clips that were more than “over the top” during the first few seasons. This is what the public liked, and made people watch the show.
As one who has worked on a set for 16-18 hours, and come back to do it again – stuff can be said, and people get tired.
I have never seen production hit someone with real force (thank goodness). I would agree with Sheridan, that is is NEVER ok to hit someone – for playing around and joking, or for real.
VERY few actor’s or staff on a show would DARE to go up against management – the blackball situation comes to mind, as does one’s reputation.
Sheridan WAS written out, and a case can be made (and it IS) that it was for a dramatic/storyline/cost-saving purpose. It seems curious that she was removed after conflicts with production.
Very interesting case to follow!
Just do a Google image search on Desperate Housewives and in nearly every promo photograph Sheridan is equally featured with the other four. Whatever reasons they may have had to fire her—and I couldn’t really care less why—it’s completely disingenuous to say she wasn’t one of the stars.
The show died with her. Their loss.
Wasn’t she the one who killed herself before the story began? I was a
regular viewer until The Good Wife, now I watch on demand if I have the time. Other her than suicide, I don;t remember her at all. Had to look at the pix of all five, isn’t she the one on the far left? Has to be, the others are all regulars.