UDPDATE: BET has responded to the breach of contract lawsuit with the following statement:
“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.
Original story below…
Being Mary Jane‘s previously-announced Season 4 renewal was actually for Season 4 and 5, it has been revealed.
However, lead Gabrielle Union is suing the network over breach of contract, placing the future of the series in doubt.
Deadline reports:
Filed today in Los Angeles Superior Court, the 17-page suit (read it here) claims that although Union’s contract calls for no more than 13 episodes a season, BET ordered 10-episode fourth and fifth seasons of the series to be shot back-to-back. Union says she and the network agreed to those terms, as long as she got a break in filming.
Being Mary Jane has seen a series of negotiations between star and network since the show launched in 2013. Union and BET made a deal for maximum 13-episode seasons so the actress could continue to pursue movie roles.
The suit claims BET now want to film and market the fourth and fifth seasons as one 20-episode fourth season, in what it cites as a contractual loophole:
“Although BET represented and assured Ms. Union before she agreed to perform in Being Mary Jane that it would never produce more than thirteen (13) episodes per season of the series. BET now wants to shoot twenty (20) episodes of the series back-to-back and cram all of the episodes into a single season in order to fraudulently extend the term of Ms. Union’s contract.
It remains to be seen whether the Season 4 and 5 renewal will stand as two separate seasons or converge into one as planned, though it doesn’t bode well for the future of the show.
Stay tuned as we continue to monitor the status of Being Mary Jane…
Nia says
Look….keep it real BET ! Do a counter sued against the actress Gabrielle Union that play the lead role as being Mary Jane and just replace her with a new actor. It’s not fair for all the other actors and term members to be force to becoming unemployed for just one overly demanding actor that really is not that great of a actor that she can not be easily replace with someone that can bring the program ratings up to top best show for the new season. Plus, Gabrielle Union is on a ego trip !!!! She is not all of that ! There are too many better looking beautiful women that look far better than her average looks. Give her- her pennies and fire her over rated phony want to be temporary stardom 5 minutes air time tail. She is enough to make people vomit. None of the other major TV networks would have never given that woman the opportunity that BET have given Gabrielle Union. Find a replacement that will put mud on her face !! Move on for betterment Bet, one sour apple just not worth nor needed for the problems that should have never been allowed to been taken in the first place. She is a low down home wrecker that disrespect not only herself, but also all of the other people she has worked with at Bet. As hard as work is to come by now a days, that will be her lost. She is just another replacement for her temporary basketball star husband. He better watch his back before she be suing him too !!! Gabrielle Union is all about herself. Within time she will realize there is a price to pay for all evil deeds in life. Whatever hidden agenda Gabrielle Union has that is in the dark, will surely be shown in the light because the truth will set you free….amen.
Wayne says
If its in the contract to just have 13 max episodes the network should stick with it.
Its like The revival of x files that the two main ones wont do like 22 episodes just a short season and that’s in their contract.
BET as broken the contract to make her do 20 episodes back to back. They all agreed to it