NBC TO FUTHER F#@$ UP L & O: SVU
-Threathens to fire stars Christopher Meloni & Mariska Hargitay!
From Entertainment Weekly
They wouldn't dare.
Multiple sources are confirming that NBC is threatening to replace
Mariska Hargitay and Chris Meloni on Law & Order: SVU if the actors
persist in their demands for more money.
Last week, NBC closed a deal with L&O boss Dick Wolf for an 11th
season of SVU -- which, at 10.5 million viewers, remains the Peacock's
No. 1 scripted show. That opened the door to a new round of
negotiations with the stars, whose $350K-per-episode contracts will
expire in May. Yet a source close to the matter said talks stalled
when the duo -- who, like in their previous negotiations, are banding
together -- attempted to go after back-end profits, a perk that's
almost never granted in the L&O universe (although exceptions were
made for Vincent D'Onofrio and Chris Noth).
As a result, NBC cautioned that it may be forced to replace the MVPs
-- a risky move considering how integral Hargitay and Meloni are to
the show. Many feel the Peacock won't make good on its threat (reps
for the network, studio and the actors would not comment for this
story). "I don't think in this environment, there's any chance they
could re-launch the show with both of them gone," says a high-ranking
exec at a rival network. "It's a horrible time to retool a show. They
already have to change the time-slot, because it's not going to be
airing at 10 pm next season." At the same time, a Peacock insider
says, "I can't imagine either actor walking away from over $7 million
a year."
