Gabrielle Union sues BET, claims ‘Mary Jane’ contract breach

By The Associated Press
October 12 2016 08:07 AM

CP1686845520 — FILE - In this Sept. 21, 2016, file photo, Gabrielle Union, a cast member in "The Birth of a Nation," poses at the premiere of the film in Los Angeles. Union has filed suit against Black Entertainment Television, alleging that the cable network wants to combine the fourth and fifth seasons of her series, ‚ÄúBeing Mary Jane,‚Äù into a single season of 20 episodes in an effort to extend her contract. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP, File)

LOS ANGELES – Gabrielle Union is suing Black Entertainment Television, alleging the cable network wants to combine the fourth and fifth seasons of her series “Being Mary Jane” into a single season of 20 episodes in an effort to extend her contract.

The actress claims in the suit filed Tuesday in Los Angeles County Superior Court that BET promised it would shoot no more than 13 episodes a season. She says those promises came in spite of a contract Union signed allowing up to 26 episodes per season.

The filing claims BET wants to combine the seasons to kick in an option to extend her contract another year. The lawsuit also says BET wants to avoid paying Union a contractually obligated, per-episode raise.

Union wants unspecified damages.

A BET spokeswoman says in a statement that the network feels it’s contractually within its rights.

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