Local news anchor claims she was sacked over cameo in Adam Sandler comedy 'Hubie Halloween'
Watch: Adam Sandler discusses Hubie Halloween celeb cameo
A news anchor from Boston has claimed she was sacked from her job as a result of a cameo appearance she made in Adam Sandler’s new film Hubie Halloween.
Alaina Pinto wrote on social media that she “mistakenly violated my contract” with WHDH Channel 7 News by appearing in the Netflix comedy.
Pinto plays one of three newsreaders in the movie who dress as Harley Quinn during a broadcast.
Read more: Sandler discusses return to comedy with Hubie Halloween
“I mistakenly violated my contract with the station and I understand why management unfortunately chose to terminate me,” she wrote.
In doing so, I mistakenly violated my contract with the station and I understand why management unfortunately chose to terminate me. I am deeply disappointed and saddened, and I hoped this would not be how things evolved. (2/3)
— Alaina Pinto (@alainapinto) October 15, 2020
Pinto added: “I am deeply disappointed and saddened, and I hoped this would not be how things evolved.”
The presenter joined the 7 News team in December 2016, having previously worked in nearby Burlington.
In a further tweet, she said: “Reporting the news to you every morning was an honour and a privilege.
“I promise to stay in touch and keep you updated on the next chapter — the future is bright.”
Hubie Halloween stars Sandler in the title role as the designated Halloween Helper of Salem, Massachusetts, whose role is to monitor the town’s celebrations.
The film also features Sandler regulars including Kevin James, Steve Buscemi and Roy Schneider, as well as June Squibb, Ray Liotta and Shaquille O’Neal.
Read more: New Netflix releases for October 2020
The movie is the latest in Sandler’s run of comedies for Netflix, which has previously included the likes of The Ridiculous Six and the ultra-successful Murder Mystery.
Netflix claims the latter movie, in which Sandler starred alongside Jennifer Aniston, was viewed 73 million times.
Unsurprisingly, Hubie Halloween has obtained the mixed critical reviews common for Sandler comedies, though it has been more warmly received than his other recent efforts.
It has a straight-down-the-middle 50% approval score on Rotten Tomatoes, with the site’s consensus noting the movie is “sweet enough to satisfy fans of Adam Sandler's antics”.
Read more: Comic actors who went dark
Earlier this year, Sandler joked that he’d make a deliberately terrible movie if he didn’t receive an Oscar nomination for stress-packed diamond trade thriller Uncut Gems.
The star was snubbed by the Academy, with one anonymous voter suggesting that the joke might’ve been part of the reason why.