'Sopranos' star: HBO breached my contract (1 Viewer)

[JerryLA]

I can't imagine the Sopranos without Tony but would love to see HBO announce that last season was it, finito, THE END. C'mon folks, this is television, stories, somewhere somehow huge super egos have to be stopped I would suggest a sit down with the families and make "one" offer, no negotiations or end the series. I love the Sopranos, but the quality has been lacking since they took the 1 1/2 year vacation between seasons. Tony is certainly a vital part of the show, but come on... it's still only a television soap opera!

 

[Chad Parks]

Did you see the link that Jason posted a few before this? Read it, it gives Gandolfini's side of the story. Between the two, I'm much more inclined to believe him.

http://www.themediadrome.com/content...sopranos.shtml

 

[Malcolm R]

Between the two, I'm much more inclined to believe him.

Why? If HBO has everyone under contract, there is nothing to negotiate. I'm glad to see them playing hardball.

 

[Inspector Hammer!]

I'll get to my take on the Gandolfini situation in a moment, I just want to say here that i'm sickened to death by these salaries being paid to these actors for a tv show. Look at the spoiled cast of Friends, ridiculous amounts of money being paid to them for a show that should have went the way of the T Rex a long time ago.

They act in front of a camera, big deal, they don't deserve a million per episode for that IMO. I don't even want to get into how I feel about most Hollywood film celebrities like Julia Roberts who get 20 million + and aren't even that great an actor or actress.

Now as for Gandolfini, I could go either way, he's the cell that holds that show together, no matter how you slice it, the show would die without him no matter how many little explanations or storylines you come up with to explain his absense. If he puts the asses in the seats, give him the money or find a middle ground. Or continue to offer him what he always got, I really could care less, as I said, a million is too much.

 

[Dave Barth]

I just want to say here that i'm sickened to death by these salaries being paid to these actors for a tv show. Look at the spoiled cast of Friends, ridiculous amounts of money being paid to them...

They act in front of a camera, big deal, they don't deserve a million per episode for that IMO.

So you think Warner Bros. "deserves" to make even more money on Friends, that it hasn't been adequately compensated already?

 

[Dave Barth]

After reading the suit filed, and the media report, I'm inclined to think Gandolfini's suit has some merit.

Whether or not HBO is being reasonable, I cannot say, since no one is privy to the negotiations, and any reports may be self-serving (to the side doing the serving).

However, I don't necessarily agree with the suit's contention that because HBO (may have) breached the contract, Gandolfini is free of all obligation to render his services...

 

[LennyP]

Look at the spoiled cast of Friends, ridiculous amounts of money being paid to them for a show. I don't even want to get into how I feel about most Hollywood film celebrities like Julia Roberts who get 20 million + and aren't even that great an actor or actress.

It's not really about being good or deserving or not, it's like a stock market, since they and the product they appear in is popular and makes a lot of money, they want to have a bigger piece of the pie. If Friends was making $10mil a year, they'd be paid a few dozen thousand each, since it's making whatever it is making, they want their piece to be accordingly bigger, same with Gandolfini. He and actors in similar cases feel it's not fair.

 

[Malcolm R]

He and actors in similar cases feel it's not fair.

Then they shouldn't have signed long-term contracts for the amounts they have. They should have contracted season-by-season or had built-in incentives/increases based on how the show performed. If you sign a flat-rate, 6-year contract, I have no sympathy for you. You're locked in, a deal is a deal.

I'm tired of actors whining about "fairness" after agreeing to contracts. If you didn't like the terms, you should have walked away.

 

[Carl Miller]

I agree with Malcom. That article was misleading in its attempt to paint these actors as victims of HBO...As if we're supposed to see these people as indentured servants because their salaries have only gone up 37% over the course of 4 years. My salary hasn't gone up 37% in the past 4 years, not even close. Has yours?

This is about money on both sides. I don't begrudge any of them their money, and if they can get it then good for them. At the same time though, don't ask me to feel sorry for them or view them as victims.

If Gandolfini doesn't get the money he wants, he can quit. If the other actors feel they're underpaid, they can quit.
What a luxury it must be to be able to walk away from your job because you don't feel you're making as many millions as you should.

Oh yeah, Gandolfini is clearly the victim here and I feel very sorry for him. How does he sleep at night worrying about whether he's going to make 2 million dollars next year, or four. Poor bastard.

 

[Win Joy Jr]

Why? If HBO has everyone under contract, there is nothing to negotiate. I'm glad to see them playing hardball.

With a contract, there are terms that bind BOTH sides. IF HBO is found to have violated the terms of the contract, then the contract is null. And a newspaper report is more than enough indication that the order was placed. It can be used to force HBO / Chase (via discovery) to turn over documents indicating exactly when the order was placed.

Now, this can be one of 3 things:

1. Staged publicity
2. A royal screw-up by someone at HBO to formally notify the cast of the pick-up
3. A HUGE p***ing contest by the head of HBO who is does not care for the actor or his reps...

"The Sopranos" is the only reason I have HBO at the moment. That will change either when they cancel "The Sopranos", or I break down and buy the season sets on DVD...

 

[Malcolm R]

Well, this is all moot now, apparently, as CNN.com had a report that the two sides are near an agreement.

 

[Patrick Sun]

And so they have:

http://www.ew.com/ew/report/0,6115,4...ltruce,00.html

 

[LennyP]

Oh whew, good.