Nicollette Sheridan Sues "Desperate Housewives"

Nicollette_Sheridan_(1).jpg — AP Photo, file

Nicollette Sheridan, the actress who played a divorced real estate agent in ABC's "Desperate Housewives," filed a $20 million suit against the show's creator and producer alleging assault and wrongful termination. In the lawsuit filed April 5, 2010 in Los Angeles Superior Court, Sheridan claims producer Marc Cherry hit her in the face on the Wisteria Lane set in Sept. 2008.

Nicollette_Sheridan_(2).jpg — AP Photo, file

On the "Desperate Housewives" set in Sept. 2008, Nicollette Sheridan asked Marc Cherry about a line in the script, and he "took her aside and forcefully hit her with his hand across her face and head," according to a lawsuit filed April 5, 2010. She claims that after she stormed off to her trailer, he came to "beg forgiveness." Sheridan is seen here arriving at the 15th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards on Jan. 25, 2009, in Los Angeles.

When Nicollette Sheridan reported the incident to ABC, Marc Cherry retaliated by killing off her character, Edie Britt, Sheridan claims. Sheridan, the actress who played a divorced real estate agent in ABC's "Desperate Housewives," filed a lawsuit on April 5, 2010 against Cherry alleging assault and wrongful termination. Sheridan is seen here as her character Edie Britt.

Nicollette_Sheridan_(11).jpg — AP Photo, file

When Nicollette Sheridan reported the incident to ABC, Marc Cherry retaliated by killing off her character, Edie Britt, Sheridan claims. Sheridan, the actress who played a divorced real estate agent in ABC's "Desperate Housewives," filed a lawsuit on April 5, 2010 against Cherry alleging assault and wrongful termination. The cast of "Desperate Housewives," Felicity Huffman, Eva Longoria, Teri Hatcher and Marcia Cross, is seen here.

Nicollette_Sheridan_(12).jpg — AP Photo, file

The lawsuit, which also names ABC, accuses Marc Cherry of creating a hostile work environment on the set and behaving aggressively and abusively toward the cast and the writers, according to actress Nicollette Sheridan's $20 million lawsuit.

Nicollette_Sheridan_(13).jpg — AP Photo, file

When Teri Hatcher, who plays Susan Meyer on the show, spoke to ABC executives about Marc Cherry's behavior, Cherry told Nicollette Sheridan, "I hope Teri Hatcher gets hit by a car and dies," according to the lawsuit.

Nicollette_Sheridan_(14).jpg — AP Photo, file

Nicollette Sheridan argued that her character was one of the lead characters of the show, and was getting more airtime in the fifth season when Marc Cherry and ABC retaliated against her by killing off her character in a car accident, the court document said. Sheridan is seen here arriving at the premiere of Mr. and Mrs. Smith on June 7, 2005 in Westwood, Calif.

Nicollette_Sheridan_(15).jpg — AP Photo, file

"It is exceptionally unusual for a popular character to be killed off or written out of a television series unless the actor has requested to be released from his or her contract," is how Nicollette Sheridan's lawyer sees it in her $20 million lawsuit.

Nicollette Sheridan, the actress who played a divorced real estate agent in ABC's "Desperate Housewives," filed a $20 million suit against the show's creator and producer alleging assault and wrongful termination. In the lawsuit filed April 5, 2010 in Los Angeles Superior Court, Sheridan claims producer Marc Cherry hit her in the face on the Wisteria Lane set in Sept. 2008.

Nicollette_Sheridan_(3).jpg — AP Photo, file

On the "Desperate Housewives" set in Sept. 2008, Nicollette Sheridan asked Marc Cherry, seen here, about a line in the script, and he "took her aside and forcefully hit her with his hand across her face and head," according to a lawsuit filed April 5, 2010. She claims that after she stormed off to her trailer, he came to "beg forgiveness."

Nicollette_Sheridan_(10).jpg — Personal Photo

On the "Desperate Housewives" set in Sept. 2008, Nicollette Sheridan asked Marc Cherry about a line in the script, and he "took her aside and forcefully hit her with his hand across her face and head," according to a lawsuit filed April 5, 2010. She claims that after she stormed off to her trailer, he came to "beg forgiveness."

Nicollette_Sheridan_(4).jpg — AP Photo, file

On the "Desperate Housewives" set in Sept. 2008, Nicollette Sheridan asked Marc Cherry about a line in the script, and he "took her aside and forcefully hit her with his hand across her face and head," according to a lawsuit filed April 5, 2010. She claims that after she stormed off to her trailer, he came to "beg forgiveness." Sheridan is seen here with the cast.

Nicollette_Sheridan_(5).jpg — AP Photo, file

When Teri Hatcher, who plays Susan Meyer on the show, spoke to ABC executives about Marc Cherry's behavior, Cherry told Nicollette Sheridan, "I hope Teri Hatcher gets hit by a car and dies," according to the lawsuit.

Nicollette_Sheridan_(6).jpg — AP Photo, file

Nicollette Sheridan argued that her character was one of the lead characters of the show, and was getting more airtime in the fifth season when Marc Cherry and ABC retaliated against her by killing off her character in a car accident, the court document said.

Nicollette_Sheridan_(7).jpg — AP Photo, file

"It is exceptionally unusual for a popular character to be killed off or written out of a television series unless the actor has requested to be released from his or her contract," is how Nicollette Sheridan's lawyer sees it in her $20 million lawsuit.

Nicollette_Sheridan_(8).jpg — AP Photo, file

Nicollette Sheridan, the actress who played a divorced real estate agent in ABC's "Desperate Housewives," filed a $20 million suit against the show's creator and producer alleging assault and wrongful termination. In the lawsuit filed April 5, 2010 in Los Angeles Superior Court, Sheridan claims producer Marc Cherry hit her in the face on the Wisteria Lane set in Sept. 2008.

Nicollette_Sheridan_(9).jpg — Personal Photo

On the "Desperate Housewives" set in Sept. 2008, Nicollette Sheridan asked Marc Cherry about a line in the script, and he "took her aside and forcefully hit her with his hand across her face and head," according to a lawsuit filed April 5, 2010. She claims that after she stormed off to her trailer, he came to "beg forgiveness."

When Nicollette Sheridan reported the incident to ABC, Marc Cherry retaliated by killing off her character, Edie Britt, Sheridan claims. Sheridan, the actress who played a divorced real estate agent in ABC's "Desperate Housewives," filed a lawsuit on April 5, 2010 against Cherry alleging assault and wrongful termination.