The offer of $325,ooo per episode was not enough for five Modern Family cast members who are suing 20th Century Fox.
Sofia Vergara, Ty Burrell, Julie Bowen, Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Eric Stonestreet are hoping to have their contracts nulled so they can increase their salaries, in tune with the success of the show. (The show was recently nominated for 14 Emmy awards).
Their lawyers will argue the current contracts should be scrapped because they prohibit the stars from other work.The current contracts bind the actors to working on the show from February 2009 until June 30, 2016.
They’ll also argue the current contracts are illegal under a Californian law that prohibits personal service contracts from extending past seven years.
News.com reported:
The Hollywood Reporter claims that Fox recently offered to increase the cast salary to $US150,000 per episode with a $50,000 per episode bonus for season four; $200,000 per episode for season five, $225,000 for season six and up to $325,000 for a probable season nine.
This offer was reportedly rejected with the actors wanting much more. In the final season of hit sitcom Friends, Jennifer Aniston and her co-stars were receiving $1 million per episode.
Ed O’Neill who was initially not involved in the lawsuit has reportedly collaborated with his cast mates.
Modern Family is a popular ABC series which recently concluded its third season.
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Top Comments
Being an actor is a lot like professional sports in a way. It looks like they are doing great from where we stand, but they are always on the edge of being cut from the show, never getting another good gig and ending up as the projectionist rather than the star. Not to mention those that never get a break. It's a high risk game but if they get a break, make hay while the sun shines I say.
The quality of Modern Family has been spiralling downwards since the first season, so if I were them I wouldn't push it.
Friends was a different thing. People forget about everyone other than Jennifer Aniston now, but in the 90's all 6 castmembers were huge stars who were just as responsible for drawing in viewers as the show itself. Modern Family isn't like that. No one's watching because of the specific actors.
Hmmm... don't know about that. Sofia Vergara is making quite a name for herself off the back of MF. I'd tune in just to watch her (but I love the rest of the cast, too. That's what makes it such a good show -- the ensemble).