‘Ballers’ executive producer Karyn McCarthy alleges she was fired from the project in bad faith just two weeks after a deal was struck, preventing her from earning ‘millions of dollars over the [life] of the series.’
Lucasfilm has been served with a wrongful termination suit by Ballers executive producer Karyn McCarthy, who was allegedly fired from the Star Wars series The Acolyte just two weeks after a deal was struck, according to Variety.
While full details surrounding the event are currently unknown, a complaint obtained by Variety explains, “As a result of its bad faith and wrongful termination, Defendants deprived Ms. McCarthy significant employment, from which she would have earned millions of dollars over the [life] of the series.” Furthermore, her termination came when “without explanation, without reason, without justification, Lucasfilm told McCarthy it wanted out of the deal.”
In addition, McCarthy alleges the agreement prevented her from accepting a role as executive producer on Sugar, an upcoming Apple series, which would have made her the “highest paid producer at Apple” according to her agent David Morris.
McCarthy’s counsel at Glaser Weil released the following statement: “For over 35 years, Karyn has hired thousands of people for several major studios on many high-profile projects. She knows when a deal is a deal. Throughout her entire career — from office assistant, location manager, unit production manager and eventually producer — she has prioritized fairness, kindness and human decency. Even after the bizarre and unfounded termination, Karyn approached Lucasfilm without a lawyer to get paid for what she was owed. Lucasfilm responded with lawyers and lies. Filing suit was the last resort.”
McCarthy seeks compensation for work performed as well as an EP credit on The Acolyte, which she said will help advance her name as a producer and increase opportunities for more lucrative future wages and employment. Lucasfilm has yet to comment. What a way to kick off Women’s History Month!
For those that don’t know, The Acolyte is a mystery-thriller that will take viewers into a galaxy of shadowy secrets and emerging dark-side powers in the final days of the High Republic era. A former Padawan reunites with her Jedi Master to investigate a series of crimes, but the forces they confront are more sinister than they ever anticipated. The series stars Amandla Stenberg (The Hate U Give), Lee Jung-jae (Squid Game), Manny Jacinto (Nine Perfect Strangers), Jodie Turner-Smith (Queen & Slim), Carrie-Anne Moss (The Matrix), Dafne Keen (His Dark Materials), Rebecca Henderson (Inventing Anna), Charlie Barnett (Russian Doll), and Dean-Charles Chapman (1917).
The Star Wars offering comes from creator, showrunner and executive producer Leslye Headland (Russian Doll), who will also direct the series pilot. Kathleen Kennedy, Simon Emanuel, Jeff F. King and Jason Micallef will executive produce, with Rayne Roberts and Damian Anderson acting as producers.
The Acolyte will stream exclusively on Disney+.
Cybersecurity specialist by day, investigative journalist by night.
