Yikes, Gabrielle Union is coming for BET’s jugular as it was reported that the actress is suing the cable network for breach of contract and negligent misrepresentation.
According to The Jasmine Brand, Union filed a lawsuit claiming that the network is trying to get out of paying her more money. Apparently, BET is trying to cram two 10-episode seasons (seasons 4 and 5) together in order to keep from paying her extra coin as well as trying to illegally extend her contract by another year even though Union signed on to do no more than 13 episodes a season.
Union, who recently held a role in Birth Of A Nation, was expecting to receive $150,000 for season 4 and then was supposed to receive a $15,000 raise for season 5. Here’a where it gets sticky, if BET would’ve had its way and put both seasons together, Gabrielle would have lost out on the $165,000 for season 5. Well that extra $15k seems like pocket change next to the $1 million in damages that the actress is suing for.
Gabrielle argues that she would have never signed on to do the show had she known she would be obligated to do so many episodes.
via TJB
“In the suit, she says prior to signing on, Union was a movie star and didn’t want to commit to a typical network TV series. She was assured by BET’s then-general counsel Darrell Walker that she wouldn’t be required to appear in more than 13 episodes per season. However, a corporate policy required her performer agreement to include a provision that allowed for a minimum of 10 episodes and a maximum of 26.
According to a report, BET only produced eight episodes in the first season and 12 in the second. This prompted her reps to renegotiate her contract so she would be paid for 13 episodes, even if BET didn’t order that many. In 2015, her contract was amended again to include an executive producer credit and to require that at Union’s request a BET executive be physically on set during taping, according to the complaint. The suit also claims that Walker has been appointed the executive on set despite no longer being a BET employee and having no authority to act in response to production issues.
After season three wrapped in June 2015, the series lost its showrunner. So season four didn’t start filming until last month. Union wasn’t notified until a week before principal photography began that BET intended to slate all 20 episodes as season four.
Union never would have agreed to star in Being Mary Jane if BET executives hadn’t assured her they’d shoot no more than 13 episodes, according to the complaint. She’s seeking damages of at least $1 million and an order that her contract be amended to reflect that there be a maximum of 13 episodes per season.”
Hopefully, they can come to some sort of resolution because Being Mary Jane is my show! Let’s chat below!
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Source: http://thejasminebrand.com/2016/10/11/gabrielle-union-sues-bet-over-being-mary-jane/
