Former Paramount Distribution Chief Sues for $4 Million, Claims Age Bias in Layoff

Chris Aronson, removed from his role as head of domestic distribution at Paramount after the Skydance merger, filed a civil suit in Los Angeles Superior Court demanding $4 million in damages. The filing asserts that a contract extension signed shortly before the acquisition guaranteed his employment through December 2028 and that the studio should have paid the full remaining severance, not the two-year amount it applied.

Aronson, 69, alleges the termination was partly age-based, noting that a younger executive, Shaun Barber of Lionsgate, was installed to take over his responsibilities. The complaint highlights that employees aged 55 and older have been disproportionately impacted by recent layoffs at the company. It also claims Paramount misread an IRS provision governing severance timing, resulting in a $1.3 million shortfall.

In addition to the unpaid severance, Aronson seeks punitive damages for the alleged discrimination. Paramount has not issued a comment on the lawsuit.