Lacey Chabert Weighs in on Ageism & Portraying ‘Every Phase of Life’

Hallmark star Lacey Chabert has recently addressed concerns about ageism in Hallmark. The response came after casting executive, Penny Perry, filed a lawsuit against Hallmark alleging she was “harassed, discriminated against, and then fired by Hallmark.” The lawsuit, obtained by Heavy, also claimed that executives Lisa Hamilton Daly and Randy Pope urged Perry to “find replacements for” certain older actors, including Chabert.

Hallmark denied Perry’s claims, saying they were “outrageous allegations” in statements provided to multiple media outlets including Variety.

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Chabert Said Telling Stories in ‘Every Phase of Life’ Is Important

In an interview with Variety, Chabert did not directly talk about the lawsuit itself. But she did address the issue of ageism in the industry in general, stating that there’s room for older characters to portray experiences that younger people can learn from.

“I think it’s important that we have the opportunity to tell all of our stories through every phase of life,” Chabert said. “I have so much that I hope to share with my audience. Now I’m a mother, and it’s the experience of raising a daughter. It’s so important to me to portray characters that she, as a younger generation, can also look up to and learn from. And with everything I do, I try to put as much of my authentic heart into it as I can.”

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Chabert Loves Her New Netflix Movie: ‘It’s Really Funny’

Chabert also talked with Variety about her new Netflix movie, “Hot Frosty.”

“When I opened the script, it was only a couple pages in where I realized, ‘Oh, wait a second, this movie has a lot of heart, and it’s really romantic and it’s really funny,'” she said.

Dustin Miligan, who plays the lead opposite Chabert, told Variety the movie has a “Christmas trick.”

“One of the strengths is that it very much presents as though it’s going to be one thing, and then it tricks you,” he said. “It’s a Christmas trick, and it gives you the best gift of all, which is a sense of joy.”

In an interview with Collider, Milligan said he was impressed with Chabert’s role in the movie.

“Lacey does such a beautiful job in showing the nuance and the depth of somebody working through grief and also having to deal with this maniac in a sleeveless jumpsuit and perpetually wearing a scarf,” he said. “It really is something that, as much fun and and levity and comedy and lightness as there is in this movie, there’s also so much heart, so much warmth and depth that it got me right away.”

Chabert told Collider about the film: “I think people are going to be surprised when they see how layered the characters really are, and it’s something that I hope brings some hope and joy.”

Milligan told Collider that Chabert was his ally during scenes of him that were “objectifying.”

“(Lacey) was there very much as my partner, my ally, in that specifically where sometimes things would feel maybe not quite so great, and even just with a look between us, I knew that I was allowed to speak up for myself in a way that would just make me more comfortable and make the entire day just run with a little more ease and a little more comfort,” he said. “I think that, in turn, allowed for a freer performance, a much more uninhibited performance that I hope made Jack that much more of a stronger character.”

 

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