Simpsons actors on pay deadline
The Simpsons actors have been asked to decide by noon on Friday whether they will accept a demand from FOX that they cut their pay.
- Published by David Knox
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The Simpsons actors have been asked to decide by noon on Friday (US) whether they will accept a demand from FOX that they cut their pay.
Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Yeardley Smith, Hank Azaria and Harry Shearer have been asked to cut their payment per episode from $440,000 to $250,000 per episode. The six offered last week to accept cuts to $300,000 per episode, in exchange for back-end payments they don’t currently receive, but the studio rejected the offer.
If no deal is reached, the current, twenty-third season will be the show’s last.
But the actors have commissioned a study estimating the show has made $1 billion in profits as ammunition in their negotiations with 20th Century Fox TV.
The study projected that the studio will eventually make about $2.8 billion from the show through 23 seasons.
But sources say both sides seem hopeful for a deal.
“It’s not emotional on either side,” one person told The Wrap. “After 23 years both sides understand each other and want to reach a deal.”
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Update: Simpsons Renewed For Two More Years
Fox just announced a 2 year renewal but no detail on what the pay deal was.
Breaking news Harry shearer has said he will take a 70 % cut if he can have a small amount of profit
Fox would look like champions if they dropped the axe on this once-great show (it hasn’t Been great since Season 7).
The Simpsons these days is a pathetic pale imitation of the witty, memorable animation it used to be.
I will do it for $40000
There are around 20eps a year, if they voice 20eps a year that’s around 8mil a year. I’m sure half that is sufficient enough.
They earn 20times the president does, they should be proud.
I’ll do it for $2.50 and a bag of chips.
I’ll do it for $50K an episode. What do these ‘actors’ do, just read a script for the voices? The money these actors get is out of control.
I read that even if the cast do agree to the pay cut, FOX is only willing to pay for one more season.
Both sides are being greedy here but Fox will come out looking much worse if it actually kills them.
Man iwould be very hapy with 200,000 an ep!!
I also think they need to use the writers who wrote the earlier seasons and made it more about the simpsons and now other crap.
FOX makes on the rights. FOX makes on the marketing. Even after the show is long gone, FOX will make on syndication. I’m sure if you look at what the voice talent/writers etc earn it’s a pittance. Economies of scale.
i said this before but tv roalty should not end like this
I did some number crunching and I worked out that even with this pay cut they still make over 130 time more than min wage($ 600)
with the crunent ecomemy they(the cast) should take the deal its better to make 5 to 6 mill a season than to make nothing
its a sad state that the world is in when 200,000 an episode is enough for people to quit their job the mind boggles
if the cast dont take toe cut get ben price from australians got talent
23 seasons is impressive and more than sufficient.
I’d be happy to see the series end. If needed, they could always continue the series with movies (either big-screen or direct to DVD). That may actually prompt them to develop their characters a little. Bart’s antics were amusing when I was a child, but he’s just irritating now.
I’ll happily do it for $190000 – I don’t want to rip anyone off
I can understand how the Network may seem a bit greedy but there’s enough greed to go around. I’m pretty sure the writers of the show, whom actually are the talent, don’t get anywhere near $440,000 per episode..
I tend to agree why it would be sad for something so historic in many ways end, the episodes are not funny, the stories are lack luster and you always feel left short changed. Then Family Guy starts and you remember why we still love cartoon comedy. RIP simpsons…
Hire Ben Cross to replace all of them (the voices guy on AGT).
I’d be happy if it finished, the episodes these days are just boring stories, there is no comedy in it and defenitly no memorbale quotes.
If they can’t reach a deal I’m happy to offer my services for $200000 per episope. I’m happy to make a sacrifice to make sure the show continues.
May as well be the last
The actors lost their passion a long time ago