Lacey Chabert, best known for her role in Mean Girls, recently shared her thoughts on ageism in Hollywood. This follows Hallmark’s denial of allegations claiming the network referred to her as “aging talent.”
A Queen of Christmas Movies
Lacey, who has starred in over 30 Hallmark films, has earned the title of “Queen of Christmas Movies.” However, a recent lawsuit alleges that a Hallmark executive stated: “Lacey is aging, and we need to find someone like her to replace her as she gets older.”
In response, Hallmark released a statement denying these accusations, affirming that Chabert “has a home at Hallmark.”
Chabert’s Take on Ageism
Lacey has now addressed the broader issue of aging in the entertainment industry. She stated: “I think it’s important that we have the opportunity to tell all of our stories at every stage of life.”
She added: “There’s so much I want to share with my audience. Now that I’m a mother, it’s about the experience of raising a daughter.”
This aligns with her personal life—she married her husband David Nehdar in December 2013, and they share an eight-year-old daughter, Julia.
Chabert emphasized the importance of portraying characters that younger generations can admire and learn from: “For me, it’s crucial to depict characters that even someone like my daughter can look up to.”
Hallmark Ageism Lawsuit
Chabert’s comments come after she was mentioned in a lawsuit filed against Hallmark last month. Penny Perry, 79, a casting director, sued the network for age discrimination, claiming she was replaced by a younger male colleague after nine years of service.
Perry alleges that Lisa Hamilton Daily, Hallmark’s Executive Vice President of Programming, said: “We need someone more in tune with younger talent. Our leading actresses are getting older.”
The lawsuit further claims Lisa remarked: “Lacey is aging, and we need a younger version of her to replace her.”
Perry also alleges that Holly Robinson Peete, 60, was similarly labeled as “old talent” who needed to be replaced.
Hallmark’s Response
Hallmark pushed back against the claims, stating: “Lacey and Holly have a home at Hallmark. While we typically don’t comment on pending litigation, we deny these baseless allegations and won’t discuss personnel matters in the media.”
Expanding Her Career
Beyond Hallmark, Chabert has ventured into holiday films on other platforms. She will star in Netflix’s upcoming Christmas movie, Hot Frosty, while also leading Hallmark’s seasonal film The Christmas Quest, set to premiere on December 1.
Early Career and Breakout Role
Lacey began her performing career as a child, competing in beauty pageants in Mississippi before landing a role in the Broadway production of Les Misérables at just nine years old.
On screen, she gained early fame in the 1990s with roles in All My Children and Party of Five. However, her breakout role came in 2004 when she starred as Gretchen Wieners in the iconic comedy Mean Girls, written by Tina Fey.
As part of The Plastics—a clique led by Regina George (Rachel McAdams)—Gretchen is known for her attempt to popularize the slang term “fetch”. However, she’s famously shut down with the line:
“Stop trying to make ‘fetch’ happen.”
