Actress Arianne Zucker from Days of Our Lives files lawsuit against producers, citing claims of sexual harassment

By M Muzamil Shami

The lawsuit follows the termination of Albert Alarr, the show's longtime executive producer.

Arianne Zucker has filed a lawsuit against Days of Our Lives producers, alleging sexual harassment, discrimination, and retaliation. Zucker, known for her role as Nicole Walker on the soap opera since 1998, accuses Albert Alarr, the show’s former executive producer dismissed in August, of repeated instances of sexual harassment and inappropriate behavior towards her and other female staff members. The lawsuit names Alarr, along with fellow executive producer Ken Corday and Corday Productions, as defendants.

       Arianne Zucker's photo credit: Image Press Agency/NurPhoto/Shutterstock

In the complaint, Zucker alleges that Alarr would frequently make remarks such as "I'd love to switch positions with you" directed at Zucker’s male costars during rehearsals for intimate scenes. It further accuses the producer of engaging in groping, moaning, non-consensual touching, and making inappropriate comments toward Zucker and other female colleagues. Alarr allegedly followed up on his misconduct with statements like "good thing there is no HR here."

Alarr’s attorney, Robert M. Barta, dismisses these allegations as "baseless" and asserts that they stem from Zucker's dissatisfaction with her compensation and level of influence on the show.

Barta states that an investigation was conducted after Zucker initially went public with her claims a year ago, involving numerous individuals whose testimony was thoroughly examined. He asserts that after this investigation, the decision was made for Alarr to retain his role as Co-Executive Producer of Days of Our Lives. Barta contends that Zucker's current actions are an attempt to malign a Black man in a position of power and that the truth will refute her claims definitively.

The lawsuit also alleges that Corday Productions paid female actors less than their male counterparts and that Zucker's pay was reduced after she lodged complaints against Alarr. Additionally, it claims that despite the investigation's findings, Corday failed to address the hostile work environment and only terminated Alarr's employment after media attention escalated.

A spokesperson for Corday Productions refutes Zucker's allegations, stating that they offered to renew her contract with a pay increase and promptly investigated complaints about Alarr's behavior. The spokesperson asserts that Corday fully cooperated with the investigation and terminated Alarr accordingly. Corday Productions did not immediately respond to requests for comment from EW.

The lawsuit further contends that the producers of the show refused to negotiate in good faith to extend Zucker's contract and that she believes her termination was retaliation for her complaints.