Right on the heels of BET’s announcement of a new season of Being Mary Jane (which looks like it’ll be set in bustling NYC as opposed to Atlanta), the sweet news quickly turned sour when Gabrielle Union filed a multi-million dollar lawsuit against the network and Breakdown Productions.
According to her lawyer Marty Singer, BET assured her that they wouldn’t produce more than 13 episodes a season, but tried to “fraudulently extend the terms of Ms. Union’s agreement” by trying to shoot two 10-episode seasons in one. If BET adhered to the terms she agreed upon, she would be receiving $150,000 per episode for season four and $165,000 per episode for season five.
BET has since responded to the suit and her allegations, and asserts that they have done nothing wrong. “While we hold Gabrielle Union in the highest esteem, we feel strongly that we are contractually well within our rights and are committed to reaching a swift and positive resolution in this matter,” a BET Network rep said in a statement yesterday (Oct. 12).
Deadline reports that a source said the network will repond “fairly quicky” in the courts as well as to complaints from Union and her camp.