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'Grey's Anatomy' stars get pay raises
2007-03-09
Grey's Anatomy" star Ellen Pompeo has closed a new deal for her services on the hit ABC medical drama. Original cast members James T. Pickens Jr. and Chandra Wilson also have agreed to new contracts, with Justin Chambers and T.R. Knight close to new pacts 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 about $125,000 per episode, sources said. (A season consists of about two-dozen episodes.) It is understood that the new terms are retroactive, going back to the first episode of this season. The contract status for "Gray" co-star Isaiah Washington 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 use of a homophobic slur, but his communication with the show's producer, ABC TV Studio, has been kept under wraps. Representatives for the studio and for the actors declined comment Thursday. Yet to close new deals are Patrick Dempsey, Sandra Oh and Katherine Heigl. Details on Heigl's stalled contract renegotiations were leaked to the media late last month, which triggered a statement on the matter from ABC TV Studio. "Fortunately, we have a long-term contract to ensure she'll be with the show for several years to come," the statement said. "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. It has become customary for the original casts of hit shows to renegotiate their contracts and receive raises after two seasons. Since "Grey's" debuted as a midseason replacement in March 2005, the renegotiations were held now when the show marks two full seasons on the air as opposed to the more common between-seasons period in the summer and fall. Sources said some of the supporting players 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" recently won a SAG Award for best drama series ensemble, with Wilson winning the individual statuette for best drama series actress. Reuters/Hollywood Reporter
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