Grey's Anatomy Contract Talks Continue
According to Reuters, Grey's Anatomy star Ellen Pompeo has received a new deal for her services on the hit ABC medical drama.
Original cast members James Pickens, Jr., and Chandra Wilson have agreed to new contracts as well, while Justin Chambers and T.R. Knight are close to new pacts of their own to continue on the Golden Globe-winning series.
Under the new deals, all actors will receive salary bumps. Pompeo now will be at nearly $200,000 per episode, while Pickens, Wilson, Chambers and Knight will be paid around $125,000 per episode, sources close to the matter said.
It is understood that the terms of the new contracts are retroactive, going back to the first episode of Season 3.
The contract status for co-star Isaiah Washington, however, was not clear. It has been rumored that he might continue on the show without a raise in light of the recent controversy surrounding his behavior.
Washington's future may still be somewhat in doubt, but his communication with the producers regarding the situation has been kept under wraps. Representatives for both the studio and the actors declined comment.
Yet to close new deals are Patrick Dempsey and Sandra Oh, though both have been rumored to be nearing lucrative, extended contracts.
Details on Katherine Heigl's stalled contract negotiations were leaked to the media last month, which triggered a response from ABC on the matter:
"Fortunately, we have a long-term contract to ensure she'll be with the show for several years to come. In recognition of her tremendous talent and value to the show, we recently approached Katherine with an offer to raise her compensation significantly above the terms of her current contract."
All cast members on Grey's Anatomy are under long-term (reportedly seven-year) deals with the studio. However, it has become customary in the industry for the original cast members of hit shows to re-negotiate contracts and receive raises after two seasons.
Since Grey's Anatomy debuted as a mid-season replacement in March 2005, the negotiations are being held now, as the show marked two full seasons on the air, rather than the more common period in the summer and fall.
Sources said some of the Grey's Anatomy cast headed into the renegotiation process as a group that quickly dissolved, leading to individual contract talks between each cast member and the studio.
Meanwhile, Kate Walsh, who joined the cast at the end of Season 1, also has a new deal as part of her central role in the potential spin-off from the hit series, now in the works.
The cast of Grey's Anatomy recently won a SAG Award for best drama series ensemble, with Chandra Wilson winning the individual statuette for best drama series actress.
March 9th, 2007 1:50 PM
I'm wondering. These people get paid a LOT of money. And now it seems some of them are getting more. So, why can't the fill a whole season with new episodes? I mean, maybe i just don't understand; but it seems that you've got a large portion of the off season to do whatever it is they do when the decide to broadcast THREE WEEKS OF RERUNS. Why can't any of these shows - not just G. A. - WORK a whole season? What if i did that on my job? Hmmm okay, yes sir you need a logo and a brochure, well here's last month's logo and brochure - we are not doing new ones this week. Oh but I still need to get paid in full.
Maybe my memory is faulty, but i remember as a kid in the 70s and 80s the new season was THE SEASON and the off season was the only time you'd see reruns.
March 9th, 2007 2:42 PM
From what I understand, ABC pays Touchstone per episode. So if ABC only orders 23 or 24 episodes per season, Touchstone will only give them what they ordered. It is really not up to the production crew, i.e,, Shonda Rhimes & Co and the actors and actresses. As you can see from the negotiation, they are being paid per episode. The actors would be willing to work as many episodes so that they get more money.
March 9th, 2007 2:59 PM
good point. But i wonder would good it does ABC to have 3 weeks in a row without new programming. Hmmm. I guess since we don't pay to have ABC on our systems, we can't really complain too much.
March 9th, 2007 6:32 PM
Pompeo is almost getting paid as much as a real surgeon..?Hm...interesting.As long as it goes on forever =]
March 9th, 2007 7:29 PM
But when you think about it the cast of friends were each paid 1 million per episode for a half hour show so this is quite a bit less.
March 9th, 2007 11:20 PM
It would have been nice if the interns would have stick together like the "Friends" cast because the show is about is ultimately about the five interns and everyone else that are involved in the lives. OR, I think that the four main characters should have stuck together: Cristina,Burke, Meredith and Sheppard should be paid equally because every storyline involves one of them. I also believe that Isaiah should get a raise because lets not forget the great job he's done. He manages to make Burke-an arrogant, g-dlike character into someone people tune in to see because of his humanity. Do we not remember the season two finale and his storyline about his hand, operating with the tremor, the amazing delivery of his love for Cristina hello people....
March 10th, 2007 6:09 AM
Seriously I am not interested to know what they make as long as they make us happy. Everyone talks about it but nobody mention how much they will pay on income tax. The life of a show is short and who knows if they will be successfull after GA. So yes let them make as much money as they can so they won't have to worry for the rest of their life.
All the fuzz about IW this is so America (sorry) the country where the dialogues in movies have F... in every sentence and it is normal, never read a line from shocked people about this. Kids over here are all using the F word just because they have seen it american series, so please the "IW slur obsessed people" go one with your life and watch your own language. Some people are such a bunch of hypocrites like we say here "you see the straw in someone eyes but not the beam in yours......
March 10th, 2007 7:15 AM
I agree, I don't see why he shouldn't be given an increase equal to PD. I can see him being put on probation, but this should not affect his salary increase. IW is a phenomenal actor and has done an exceptional job portraying Dr. Preston Burke, even PD admitted that during an interveiw. Isaiah has just as much to do with the show's popularity has PD, EP and SO. IW and SO, and CW are the only three that have won individual awards. The unfortunate incident didn't cause a decrease in the ratings. GA is more successfuly now than it was in Season 1 & 2, and the storyline between Burke and Cristina played a huge part in that. I have more friends who have just started watching GA because of Burke and Cristina.
March 10th, 2007 4:57 PM
The regular posters on this website are so great. I , of course, absolutely agree with those who say that every member of the cast is important to the show and every member of the cast deserves a raise. Isaiah works his butt off for this show even going to the extra length of shadowing physicians to learn the real procedures so that it looks more realistic on film. I believe their raises are an increase over their initial contract. The contracts were not equal to begin with. Isaiah, Patrick, and Sandra with longer standing film careers and more recognizable names made more to begin with. Ellen probably did too as the title character. In the past two and one/half season these four still have the primary story arcs with everyone else shining from time to time (Izzie in the Denny dying episode, George in the father dying episode) but basically play support roles in the ensemble. This is unlike friends where clearly all six of the permanent cast were of equal status and were of pretty equal status coming into the show. David Schwimmer was probably commanding a higher salary when they began, so it may have been a bit his generosity that made it possible for all of them to present a united front with their demands. Keep in mind on Friends we are taliking about six primary characters. In GA we are now talking about 12. Someone asked about the season. I think abc contracted Grey's for 23 episodes originally for this season regardless of when they are shown. They have since added the two part spin off episode so it is up to 25 with the last one airing some time in May.
March 10th, 2007 5:05 PM
I will be disgusted if they punish IW by not giving him a raise when the others are getting increases. His acting is of a high caliber and deserves recognition. That would be very, very crappy politics in my opinion.
March 11th, 2007 11:37 AM
Tv actors are all overpaid. As far as I'm concerned Grey's hit the peak and is sliding down the other side! You only have to work 24 weeks a year to make these fabulous salaries? This. show a few, repeat a few episodes, just loses my interest, and I used to set my calendar around Grey's, the one and only show I have done that for in years. And in truth don't you think this will they or won't they get together is spreading way too thin? I'm just glad I'm not a patient in this hospital with such a totally clueless staff run totally by hormones!
March 11th, 2007 1:32 PM
Eileen if you where a TV actor would'nt you like to be overpaid?
I am not jealous and I ain't rich just happy with what I have. There is always some people that are richer than you or poorer than you just don't be bitter about it.
March 11th, 2007 4:49 PM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ekhV7nmtJiA
Here is the website for the youtube clip of Isaiah's acceptance speech at this year's NAACP image awards. I thought some of you who haven't seen it yet may want to see it. I'm so happy that he won this honor again this year. He deserves every honor he receives and also deserves to be compensated in the same way as his castmates which is for outstanding acting on an outstanding show.
March 11th, 2007 4:54 PM
Here is another clip that I think shows the kind of gentleman Isaiah Wasington is. It is an interview after both he and the show won their first Image award in 2006. I love this clip because he is so clearly liked by his castmates in this video and also recognizes them. It is my hope that after the salary negotiations are completed they will all be back and they can all get back to being good colleagues as they were in this video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9alk3Mz4iew
March 15th, 2007 4:33 AM
Wow! $200K an episode. That's a good hunk of cash. They could save a lot of money. I wouldn't have to be paid a dime to do tub, elevator, and smooching scenes with Patrick Dempsey! :)
May 21st, 2007 7:35 AM
I wouyld never begrudge anyone a great salary. The only thing that troubles me is that we as the consumer see a great deal less episodes because of it. Years ago you would watch a show from Sept. through May and see many, many new episodes ...today we only get a few per year it seems...there are constant re runs....I find this very annoying...and so does everyone else I know.
Otherwise I LOVE GREY"S ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Keep George Please !
October 7th, 2007 4:29 PM
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