Nicolette Sheridan’s exit on ABC’s hit show Desperate Housewives appears to have been every bit as dramatic as her character Edie Britt. The Golden Globe nominee slapped a $20 million lawsuit against the show’s creator Marc Cherry Monday for assault and battery, gender violence, and wrongful termination.

The 46-year-old actress claims Cherry struck her on the face and that ABC fired her for complaining about him. The incident happened during a rehearsal last September after the actress questioned a part of the script. The series creator allegedly pulled Sheridan aside and hit her on the face and head. The actress yelled, "You just hit me in the head. That is not okay. That is not okay!" the lawsuit says.

After the actress reported the producer’s behavior to ABC, she alleges that Cherry’s demeanor worsened, and by February 2009, Sheridan’s character was written off the show. The actress also claims that Cherry was abusive to other cast members and quoted him as saying in the lawsuit, "I hope Teri Hatcher gets hit by a car and dies." Meanwhile, ABC says that the studio investigated similar allegations made by the actress last year and found them to be "without merit." But not without drama, drama, drama! –KRIS ALCANTARA

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