Last week when the reports surfaced of actress Nicollette Sheridan filing a lawsuit against Marc Cherry, creator of Desperate Housewives, and ABC because of treatment she received on the set of the show, I shrugged. It seemed like a bitter axed actress who wanted to get back at her former employer for terminating her from one of the biggest gigs in television. Though when I read that part of her lawsuit pertained to reportedly being slapped by Cherry it raised my eyebrow.
I remember hearing rumors a year or so ago about there being a big blow-up on set resulting in him slapping her in the face, but it seemed so ridiculous no one believed it. Of course now it seems there may be some truth to it all this time later. Not only has Sheridan cited it in her lawsuit, but former cast-mate Eva Longoria has confirmed that the incident did in fact happen, though according to her not necessarily maliciously.
They did have a thing on set. I guess it was a couple years ago. It's so long ago, the actual incident, and I wasn't on set when it happened. Apparently, this incident had happened, and she felt it was wrong.
Longoria adds the context that Cherry was actually showing Nicollette how to do a scene in which Edie's husband, played by Neal McDonough, slaps her.
Something happened on set regarding them doing a scene. She was doing a scene, and ... he was showing her how to do a scene. Honestly, I wish I knew [what happened]. During that time too, I didn't work with Nicollette's character.
She also adds that Cherry "could not harm a fly, he's just so sweet," then said, "Nicollette's a sweet girl, too."
Then there's a conflicting article from the NY Daily News where a "source" close to the show indicates Sheridan wasn't the only woman on the show who had conflicts with Cherry. Teri Hatcher apparently doesn't find Cherry's behavior completely kosher either.
The snitch adds that while Teri Hatcher is equally distressed by Cherry's overbearing behavior, she's unlikely to join Nicollette in her fight.
Article comments
1 - Oscar
The incredible irony is the subject matter coupled with Cherry's attitude to female cast members and writers. My personal view is that he has got away with his "primadonna" attitude for too long and that this suit may actually result in clipping his wings. However, probably unlikely.