The show’s over, but HBO’s bad “Luck” carries on.
A self-described whistle-blower is suing the network over the canceled horse-racing series, claiming she was fired after witnessing “abuse and cruelty” aimed at its equine co-stars.
Barbara Casey is also seeking damages from the American Humane Association, which she alleges wrongfully fired her so she wouldn’t report the mistreatment.
In a lawsuit filed Dec. 31 in Los Angeles County Superior Court, Casey says she complained “repeatedly” about “ongoing, systematic and unlawful” abuse of the animals, at least three of which died during filming. The series as a whole proved a bad bet for HBO, which ordered a second season despite lackluster ratings, only to cancel it after news of the deaths went public.
In a statement released yesterday, the channel noted that Casey had not been an employee, and said it had taken “every precaution to ensure that our horses were treated humanely and with the utmost care.”
Whatever the safety measures, the Dustin Hoffman series had been troubled out of the gate, with one horse breaking a leg during production of the pilot. It was subsequently euthanized.
At the time of the show’s March cancellation, HBO claimed it adhered to “safety protocols that go above and beyond typical film and TV industry standards.”
The AHA, which employed Casey for 13 years before her firing, has not commented publicly on the suit.