Top 10 Times Actors SUED Their Own Shows

Top 10 Times Actors Sued Their Own Shows

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re looking at TV actors who took legal action against their shows, the creators, or the networks and studios that produced them. Some of these cases include spoilers.

#10: Rockmond Dunbar

“9-1-1” (2018-)

Dunbar appeared in the first five seasons of this procedural series as Michael Grant, the ex-husband of Angela Bassett’s Athena. After going to Haiti with his fiancée, it’s revealed that Michael settled down in Florida. In reality, Dunbar exited over the COVID-19 vaccine mandate. Dunbar demanded a religious exception, belonging to the Church of Universal Wisdom. When Dunbar was denied, he sued 20th Television and Disney, claiming his contract had been breached and he was owed roughly $1 million. Dunbar not only cited religious discrimination, but racial misconduct as well. While a judge called some claims into question, Dunbar’s case moved forward. A vaccine-related lawsuit was bound to happen in Hollywood, although it’s ironic that it stemmed from a show called “9-1-1.”

#9: Timothy Hutton

“Leverage: Redemption” (2021-)

Decades after winning an Oscar for “Ordinary People,” Timothy Hutton played Nathan Ford on the crime drama “Leverage.” Where the initial series ran from 2008 to 2012, it was revived as “Leverage: Redemption” in 2021. While most of the original cast returned, the leading man was noticeably absent. Before the revival was announced, Hutton was accused of sexually assaulting actress Sera Johnston when she was a teenager and he was in his early 20s. The same month “Leverage: Redemption” debuted, the investigation ended with no charges. The following year, Hutton sued production company Electric Entertainment, which resulted in a countersuit. Hutton cited breach of contract, while the producers argued he withheld information about a potential scandal. Two years later, an undisclosed settlement was reached.

#8: The Adult Actors

“Modern Family” (2009-20)

“Modern Family” became one of the most profitable shows on TV, largely thanks to the chemistry between its cast. The actors thus united as a family when they sued 20th Century Fox Television in 2012. Heading into Season 4, Julie Bowen, Ty Burrell, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Eric Stonestreet, and Sofía Vergara filed a lawsuit as negotiations over their salaries came to a standstill. Ed O'Neill wasn’t part of the lawsuit since he was already making the most money, although the Pritchett patriarch supported his co-stars. After months of litigation, the five actors had their per-episode fee raised by almost $100,000 each, along with an increase every season and residual perks. Four of the show’s younger cast members were also given a deserved pay bump.

#7: Caitlin Sanchez

“Dora the Explorer” (2000-19)

Several young performers have played Dora Márquez, but only one took the long-running children’s show to court. Caitlin Sanchez voiced the titular explorer in more than 30 episodes, which aired from 2008 to 2012. In 2010, Nickelodeon and MTV Networks faced a $10 million lawsuit from Sanchez, who felt she had been pushed into signing an unfair contract. Attorney John Balestriere, who represented Sanchez and her family, persuaded them to take a $500,000 settlement. Sanchez’s family ultimately felt cheated by Balestriere, whom they reportedly owed $200,000. They also had to pay over $100,000 in taxes, among other fees. The Sanchezs tried to overturn the settlement, but their request was denied. Sanchez’s days as Dora ended as she entered her early teens.

#6: Nicollette Sheridan

“Desperate Housewives” (2004-12)

As Edie Britt, Nicollette Sheridan was Wisteria Lane’s resident scene-stealer for five seasons. Edie joins the neighborhood’s other spirits following an electrical accident. At the time, co-star Teri Hatcher suggested that Sheridan was ready to leave. Yet, there were also reports of tension between Sheridan and creator Marc Cherry. The plot thickened in 2010 when Sheridan accused Cherry of assault in a lawsuit against him and ABC. Sheridan claimed that she had been wrongfully terminated after bringing these accusations to the network. At trial, Cherry argued that Sheridan’s removal was due to budget and creative reasons, with the decision being made before the alleged attack. The outcome was a mistrial. Despite Sheridan’s attempts to pursue further legal action, the case lost steam.

#5: Several Cast Members

“Happy Days” (1974-84)

Even decades later, this classic sitcom remains a lucrative brand. That doesn’t mean every former cast member is happy. In 2011, CBS and Paramount entered a legal battle with Erin Moran, Don Most, Marion Ross, and Anson Williams, who played Joanie, Ralph, Marion, and Potsie, respectively. Tom Bosley had died a year earlier, but his estate also participated in the lawsuit, which alleged that the companies owed them $10 million in merchandising revenue. The sticking point was unpaid proceeds from “Happy Days” slot machines, although CBS argued that the actors were only owed thousands rather than millions. While the claims of fraud were thrown out, the case went to trial and was eventually settled with the actors receiving $65,000 each.

#4: Gina Carano

“The Mandalorian” (2019-23)

A mixed martial artist turned actress, Gina Carano landed the biggest role of her career as Cara Dune on “The Mandalorian.” After playing a significant role in two seasons, it was announced that Carano wouldn’t return for a third. News broke that ​​Lucasfilm had severed ties with Carano after she compared modern conservatives to Jewish people during the Holocaust on social media. Carano also made controversial comments amid the pandemic and 2020 election. Three years after her dismissal, Carano filed legal action against Lucasfilm and Disney, accusing them of wrongful termination and discrimination. Elon Musk bankrolled Carano’s legal fight, although a month before the scheduled trial, a settlement was agreed upon. Cara Dune won’t be recast, meaning Mando and Grogu aren’t seeing her anytime soon.

#3: Hunter Tylo

“Melrose Place” (1992-99)

Those who’ve seen every episode of “Melrose Place” know that actress Hunter Tylo never appears. However, Tylo was originally cast as Taylor McBride, who first appears in Season 5. Before any footage was filmed, producer Aaron Spelling removed Tylo, who revealed that she was pregnant. Lisa Rinna was cast in her place while Tylo returned to her old job on “The Bold and the Beautiful.” Tylo still felt that Spelling had discriminated against her, lawyering up. Spelling’s representation argued that Tylo couldn’t play a “vixen, seductress and adulteress” while pregnant. The jurors disagreed. Tylo was pregnant again at the time of the trial, barely showing during her third trimester. She was awarded almost $5 million in a landmark verdict for working pregnant actresses.

#2: Cindy Williams

“Laverne & Shirley” (1976-83)

Tylo was far from the first actress to be mistreated amid her pregnancy. As “Laverne & Shirley” headed into its eighth season, Cindy Williams realized that Paramount had her working on her due date. Since Williams was one half of the titular duo, you’d think the network would’ve worked around her schedule. Paramount refused, though, resulting in Williams only being in the first two episodes of what wound up being the final season. Because hey, “Laverne & Shirley” doesn’t need Shirley, right?! Williams took out a $20 million lawsuit, indicating that she was supposed to be paid $75,000 for 22 episodes in addition to $37,500 for reruns. The suit was settled for an unknown sum, while Shirley abruptly moved away with her new husband.

#1: Suzanne Somers

“Three’s Company” (1977-84)

This sitcom turned its trio into stars, but John Ritter was reportedly making much more than Joyce DeWitt and Suzanne Somers. When the time came to renegotiate Somers’ contract, her husband, Alan Hamel, insisted that her salary be raised to $150,000 per episode. The network wouldn’t go higher than a $5,000 per episode raise, resulting in Somers being fired and Chrissy Snow being phased out. According to Hamel, ABC had recently reached a “monster deal” with the stars of “Laverne & Shirley.” So, “they decided they needed to make an example of female actresses so that no other woman would ask to be paid what men were making.” Somers sued ABC for $2 million, although she only got $30,000 from the settlement.

Can you think of any other actors who sued their own shows? Let us know in the comments.