Nicollette Sheridan sues 'Housewives' creator

Nicollette Sheridan has filed a lawsuit against Marc Cherry, the creator of "Desperate Housewives," alleging that he hit her in the face and that she was fired from the show after complaining about him, People magazine reports.

Sheridan, who played Edie Britt on the show until her character was killed off last year, is suing for $20 million, alleging assault and battery, gender violence and wrongful termination.

In the lawsuit, filed Monday in Los Angeles Superior Court, Sheridan claims Cherry created a hostile work environment, "behaving in an extremely abusive and aggressive manner." Cherry directed his abuse at other cast members, as well - even Teri Hatcher, according to Sheridan. Hatcher apparently had gone over Cherry's head to ABC executives to complain about his behavior. According to the lawsuit, Cherry told Sheridan, "I hope Teri Hatcher gets hit by a car and dies."

A rep for the show declined to comment. Sheridan's rep was not immediately available for comment.

Sheridan tried in 2008 to meet with Cherry privately "in an effort to discuss his negative demeanor toward her and to discuss whether he had a problem with her work," the lawsuit says.

Cherry told her he didn't have a problem with her and apologized, but lashed out at her again during a Sept. 24, 2008, rehearsal, the lawsuit claims.

"When Sheridan questioned Cherry about something that was in the script, Cherry took her aside and forcefully hit her with his hand across her face and head," the lawsuit says.

Sheridan yelled back, "You just hit me in the head. That is not OK. THAT IS NOT OK!" according to the lawsuit.

Cherry went to her trailer to "beg forgiveness," the lawsuit says, but his behavior allegedly worsened after Sheridan reported him to ABC.

In February 2009, Sheridan was informed that her character was being written off the show and she was being fired, according to the lawsuit.

"The decision to kill off Sheridan's character demonstrates that Cherry and ABC intended to and did retaliate against Sheridan for her complaints about Cherry," the lawsuit says. The lawsuit notes that although some of the male characters were killed off the show, "none of the female characters had ever before been killed off or written out of the show."