The Wildest Controversies To Hit The Hallmark Channel
Lifestyle News
By LAUREN DUBOIS
Stealing Idea
In 2012, Brad Wigor sued Hallmark Hall of Fame Productions and McGee Street Productions for $7 million, alleging they stole his idea for "The Night Flyer" movie.
Hallmark countered that their film was inspired by a 1966 book "Black and Blue Magic." The outcome of the lawsuit remains unclear, though a protective order was
issued in 2013.
Ageism Allegations
In 2015, Robert Levy, the former director of Hallmark's "Home & Family" program, sued producer Woody Fraser, alleging age discrimination, retaliation,
and more.
In 2016, "Home & Family" co-host Cristina Ferrare was abruptly replaced, which she later attributed to ageism, writing on Facebook she was deemed "too old."
Harassment Suit
In 2018, Chef Shanti Hinojos sued Hallmark's parent company Crown Media, alleging she was sexually harassed by producer Woody Fraser on the "Home & Family" show.
Even though Fraser was terminated, Hinojos claimed the harassment continued through his allies. She was eventually fired in 2017 and believed it was retaliation for her lawsuit.
Wrongful Firing
In May 2018, "Home & Family" co-host Mark Steines was fired. He thought it was retaliation for his cooperation in Shanti Hinojos's lawsuit against
Woody Fraser.
Steines sued Crown Media and initially saw some success when a judge refused the company's request to drop the case. However, by 2020, his lawsuit was ultimately dismissed.
Racial Bias
In 2018, Lesley Horat, an extra in a Hallmark film, claimed she couldn't be in a romantic scene due to the network's alleged policy against showing interracial couples.
While Hallmark and the film's director Michael Robison denied knowledge of this policy, other sources corroborated Horat's story, pointing to an unwritten rule within the company.