Gandolfini & HBO Seem to Reach Agreement
03-18-03, 08:37 AM
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Gandolfini & HBO Seem to Reach Agreement
HBO set to pay Tony his tribute
March 18, 2003
BY PHIL ROSENTHAL TELEVISION CRITIC, CHICAGO SUN TIMES
A threat to the survival of America's most-wanted mob boss appears to have been averted.
"The Sopranos" star James Gandolfini and HBO were considering a proposal Monday to drop their dueling lawsuits, easing an angry, ego-fueled standoff that imperiled their much-lauded organized-crime series.
Under the scenario mapped out in weekend back-channel discussions using veteran talent manager Brad Grey, an executive producer on the series, as intermediary, Gandolfini would return to work as a precondition to HBO quietly negotiating a raise for the coming fifth season.
The network, which already had offered to double the $5 million it was contracted to pay Gandolfini, refused to set the precedent of bowing to a legal wedge in its pay talks and said the impasse could end the series. The star reportedly had held out for $20 million, or $1.2 million per episode, but now is said to be seeking $16 million.
March 18, 2003
BY PHIL ROSENTHAL TELEVISION CRITIC, CHICAGO SUN TIMES
A threat to the survival of America's most-wanted mob boss appears to have been averted.
"The Sopranos" star James Gandolfini and HBO were considering a proposal Monday to drop their dueling lawsuits, easing an angry, ego-fueled standoff that imperiled their much-lauded organized-crime series.
Under the scenario mapped out in weekend back-channel discussions using veteran talent manager Brad Grey, an executive producer on the series, as intermediary, Gandolfini would return to work as a precondition to HBO quietly negotiating a raise for the coming fifth season.
The network, which already had offered to double the $5 million it was contracted to pay Gandolfini, refused to set the precedent of bowing to a legal wedge in its pay talks and said the impasse could end the series. The star reportedly had held out for $20 million, or $1.2 million per episode, but now is said to be seeking $16 million.
03-18-03, 09:08 AM
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Crybaby? Because he asked for more money? I beg to disagree.
HBO has made a TON of money off the Sopranos, somewhere in the neighborhood of $600 million, I've heard. I think they can afford to throw some of that money Gandolfini's way. After all, he is the star of the show. Without him, there is no show and no more money cow for HBO.
HBO has made a TON of money off the Sopranos, somewhere in the neighborhood of $600 million, I've heard. I think they can afford to throw some of that money Gandolfini's way. After all, he is the star of the show. Without him, there is no show and no more money cow for HBO.
03-18-03, 09:22 AM
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Originally posted by Boot
Crybaby? Because he asked for more money? I beg to disagree.
Crybaby? Because he asked for more money? I beg to disagree.
03-18-03, 09:30 AM
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James Gandolfini = $5 million/season
Kelsey Grammar = $41.6 millon/season (1.6 million x 26 eps)
Both have equal screentime per season (James 13 hours, Kelsey 26 half-hours)
Something's wrong here....
Kelsey Grammar = $41.6 millon/season (1.6 million x 26 eps)
Both have equal screentime per season (James 13 hours, Kelsey 26 half-hours)
Something's wrong here....
03-18-03, 09:34 AM
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Originally posted by GuessWho
Something's wrong here....
Something's wrong here....
03-18-03, 09:49 AM
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Originally posted by Morf
Perhaps, but that's when you renegociate your contact, not when you play piddly games with the network and refuse to work. I'm not saying that he doesn't deserve the $$, but he went about it the wrong (unprofessional) way.
Perhaps, but that's when you renegociate your contact, not when you play piddly games with the network and refuse to work. I'm not saying that he doesn't deserve the $$, but he went about it the wrong (unprofessional) way.
03-18-03, 10:43 AM
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Originally posted by Morf
If I tried that at work, I'd be fired.
If I tried that at work, I'd be fired.
If you were really as important to the success of your company as Gandolfini is to the success of the show, you could do this and you would not be fired.
03-18-03, 12:03 PM
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The fact of the matter is that his contract was originally for FOUR seasons - but HBO recognized the cash cow and forked over $20 million to David Chase to stretch it into five seasons. For all intents and purposes, Gandolfini had fulfilled his contract - this was an extra season, and he rightly pursued the money he has more than earned as the heart and soul of the program. I don't fault him a bit.
03-18-03, 12:11 PM
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Originally posted by brizz
The fact of the matter is that his contract was originally for FOUR seasons - but HBO recognized the cash cow and forked over $20 million to David Chase to stretch it into five seasons. For all intents and purposes, Gandolfini had fulfilled his contract - this was an extra season, and he rightly pursued the money he has more than earned as the heart and soul of the program. I don't fault him a bit.
The fact of the matter is that his contract was originally for FOUR seasons - but HBO recognized the cash cow and forked over $20 million to David Chase to stretch it into five seasons. For all intents and purposes, Gandolfini had fulfilled his contract - this was an extra season, and he rightly pursued the money he has more than earned as the heart and soul of the program. I don't fault him a bit.
That is half right. What happend was since HBO realized they had a cash cow they "ripped" up his contract. Then when the 5 Season was in place, they said they pulled a fast one on him to say that he was contract was not fulfilled.
But basically that Gandolfini was in the right and basically asking for what he deserves.
I mean it is not like he is asking for back salary. I understand he might have negotiated royalties, but that is a side issue.
"thumbsup" to GANDOLFINI
03-19-03, 10:40 AM
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Originally posted by thejammy
What happend was since HBO realized they had a cash cow they "ripped" up his contract. Then when the 5 Season was in place, they said they pulled a fast one on him to say that he was contract was not fulfilled.
But basically that Gandolfini was in the right and basically asking for what he deserves.
What happend was since HBO realized they had a cash cow they "ripped" up his contract. Then when the 5 Season was in place, they said they pulled a fast one on him to say that he was contract was not fulfilled.
But basically that Gandolfini was in the right and basically asking for what he deserves.
Gandolfini orignally signed a 4 year deal, as did the entire cast, but after season 2, the entire cast's deals were renegotiated and everyone signed on for 3 more years. Gandolfini signed through season 5.
Here's what happened. See, JG has the same agent as an actor on our show, who last year pulled the exact same stunt. He wanted more money so he started bitching about the production and his lawyers filed this completely meretless lawsuit - the Gandolfini lawsuit looks like a carbon copy of our actor's, even the wording is identical - and went public about it putting the spin on that HBO is greedy and using him, blah, blah, blah.
This agent is notorious for this. He had a client try it on Law & Order a couple of years ago, but God bless Dick Wolfe - he just fired the actor.
We would have fired Jones, but the network stepped in and gave him a $35,000 per episode raise. David Chase was willing to forget the show rather than give in to Gandolfini's agent's ridiculous demands, but the network (as always) gives in.
Trust me, Gandolfini never expected 20 million. But his agents were definitely shooting for doubling his salary.
IMHO, it's a lousy way to do business. If you aren't sure you will honor a contract, don't sign it.
Last edited by BoatDrinks; 03-19-03 at 07:05 PM.
03-19-03, 05:40 PM
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Another spoiled movie star. I dont think Gandolfini was doing much before Sapranos and he probably knows he wont be doing much after so hes milking it.
Remember Farrah and Sommers and Caruso and.....
Remember Farrah and Sommers and Caruso and.....
03-21-03, 12:30 AM
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I can see it from Gandolfini's point of view. Kelsey Grammer and the cast of Friends make alot of money for NBC but there is no doubt that the SOPRANOS is a huge money maker for HBO and the show would be nothing without Gandolfini.
03-21-03, 06:52 AM
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Without getting into if he was right/wrong...
One thing to point out when comparing JG (and his future) to the Friends cast, Grammar, Caruso, Farrah, Alf, Master Thespian, et al is that within the industry he is respected tremendously as an ACTOR (hopefully BoatDrinks can back me up on this). I first noticed this several years ago when Jenna Elfman was on some awards show, and out of the blue she gave huge (albeit sappy) kudos to JG, who was pretty much a nobody at the time. Really caught me off guard, and got me wondering. Since that time, I noticed MANY more accolades, and I've been told likewise by friends in the business end of the industry.....
One thing to point out when comparing JG (and his future) to the Friends cast, Grammar, Caruso, Farrah, Alf, Master Thespian, et al is that within the industry he is respected tremendously as an ACTOR (hopefully BoatDrinks can back me up on this). I first noticed this several years ago when Jenna Elfman was on some awards show, and out of the blue she gave huge (albeit sappy) kudos to JG, who was pretty much a nobody at the time. Really caught me off guard, and got me wondering. Since that time, I noticed MANY more accolades, and I've been told likewise by friends in the business end of the industry.....
