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The Simpsons Cast Close to Signing Deal --- But How Much Will They Make?
It looks like The Simpsons may continue their hijinks on Fox. The cast of the longest-running prime-time scripted series is close to signing a deal, which will keep them on the air for one more year, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The new deal...
It looks like The Simpsonsmay continue their hijinks on Fox.
The cast of the longest-running prime-time scripted series is close to signing a deal, which will keep them on the air for one more year, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The new deal won't reduce their salaries as much as the 45 percent pay cut Fox originally demanded, but it will not include any revenue pay.
The Simpsons' Harry Shearer: I'm willing to take a 70 percent pay cut in exchange for profits
On Monday, it was reported that the actors — Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Yeardley Smith, Hank Azaria and Harry Shearer — proposed a 30 percent pay cut in exchange for a small percentage of the show's back-end profits, which includes syndication and merchandising. But that offer was swiftly rejected by the network.
Early Friday, Shearer spoke out against Fox, saying he would take a pay cut as large as 70 percent in order to get a share of the sitcom's hefty profits. Shearer said there were "simply no circumstances under which the network would consider allowing me or any of the actors to share in the show's success."
Fox gives Simpsons actors an ultimatum
The show's producers have already agreed to salary reductions, but several of them already have deals that include compensation from back-end profits.
The deadline — Friday at noon — for Fox's ultimatum for the cast to take the pay cut or the show will be canceled has passed, without response from the actors or the network.