Matthew Fox gets a raise on 'Lost'

[spicedogs]

Rest of the series' core cast also renegotiating deals
By Nellie Andreeva

Aug 15, 2008, 12:00 AM ET

Jack Shephard is getting a raise.

"Lost" star Matthew Fox has quietly inked a new deal with ABC Studios to continue on the hit ABC drama with a salary bump.

Under the pact, reached earlier this summer, Fox is expected to be earning about $225,000 per episode, up from the roughly $150,000 he most recently made.

The raise puts Fox on par with the stars of "Desperate Housewives," the other ABC/ABC Studios breakout hit of fall 2005. The leading ladies of Wisteria Lane also are said to be making $225,000 an episode.

The rest of "Lost's" core cast are in the process of renegotiating their deals.

Despite the ensemble nature of "Lost," which starts production on its fifth season Monday, Fox has been considered the lead on the Emmy-winning series.

When the cast received their first significant raises in January 2006, all actors were brought up to about $80,000 an episode, with Fox getting an extra bonus of at least $250,000.

Reps for ABC Studios and Fox's reps at ICM and Management 360 declined comment. 

This is disgusting. Not that I have anything against Matthew Fox. He is a decent actor. Not a great one, descent. Let's give credit where it's due, Michael Emerson has wowed the audiences the 3 season he has been on. He has been nominated for an Emmy for his portrayal of Ben on LOST twice and the buzz is that he may very well be the winner this year. Moreover, Mr. Emerson is already an Emmy winner for his portrayal of William Hinks on The Practice. Also, actor Terry O'Quinn, not only makes the Locke character interesting, he was nominated and won an Emmy for it. Mr. Fox, what awards have you won?

    

Source: HollywoodReporter.com

  

Comments

WTF??????

[katje0711.livejournal.com]

Gah!!!

[divka.livejournal.com]

I think the only reason he can get away with it is that he knows the writers wrote him into the last scene of the series. At least, that is what he was told and has said in interviews. So he knows they won't kill him off....

[meegat.livejournal.com]

I think that's a problem when you have a show like Lost that works via flash forwards etc. If you're in a flash forward... you know you're going to be around for a while...and can therefore negotiate/hold to ransom from a position of strength.

It sucks.

Pity actors don't get paid based on talent, isn't it? LOL Michael Emerson would be damn near gold plated...

[shalimar77777.livejournal.com]

This is indeed wrong. And I'm sure he used the excuse that because he's locked up with LOST, he hasn't been able to take parts in movies, hence his income is suffering. I'm guessing that when they start filming LOST again, he's not going to have a lot of friends in the other cast members.

That being said, I don't see ME making a major play for more money. Doesn't seem in line with his personality. I think he's just happy to get the work. I wish everyone had his work ethic. :(

[katje0711.livejournal.com]

But why would that make them give him more money?

[divka.livejournal.com]

Well, it doesn't make them give him more--but it does give him decent leverage to bargain with. He knows they need him.

[katje0711.livejournal.com]

If that's the case then Jorge, Naveen and Yunjin should all get raises, too. I didn't mention Evi, because she's already trying to get the raise.

[katje0711.livejournal.com]

But he HAS been taking part in movies!!

[padmapani56.livejournal.com]

I agree, it is not fair at all. I hope the other cast-members keep their heads cool so that we, the fans, don't have to deal with any "sudden deaths".

[katje0711.livejournal.com]

Yeah. I suppose. *sigh*

[shalimar77777.livejournal.com]

I know, but he can still frame it like (in whiny Jack voice) "But I was only able to make two movies last year and I got five offers!!!!!!"

You KNOW that's what he said.

[katje0711.livejournal.com]

As if they can't all say that. Grrr!

[keyserzozie.livejournal.com]

Meh. It's just becausre the guy has so many fangirls. What happened to rewarding merit???

[cdsdame.livejournal.com]

This is pathetic. What an ego. I don't think ME would ask for more either, as someone else said, not in his personality. Like keyser said though, it would be nice if merit were rewarded. Sadly, that seems to be a pipe dream...
And I'm starting to get a little nervous about the Emmy's from what someone told me about Ted Danson having a good chance to win.
TED DANSON--UGH!

[txvoodoo.livejournal.com]

They're all renegotiating, hon, based on their contract dates. The good thing about this is that it gives the other cast members leverage when they go to negotiate.

I look at it this way - I think Foxy is renegotiating in the wake of his movies not doing so well ;) And I think Evi is kinda trying to make sure she has enough $ for the rest of her life. I really think she wouldn't mind moving away from acting at some point.

[spicedogs.livejournal.com]

You may be right.

[mythicfeline.livejournal.com]

We can hope she moves away from acting. When I first read about her I thought, oh she's sounds interesting, but then her behaviors has made me think twice. It might not be right, but i definitely hold people who are in a position to be roles models and very visible representatives of their professions to a higher standard. They can keep that up, then they're not up to the task and they should step aside. The parting would be mutually beneficial on several ways.

As they say, the other cast members are renegotiating, and I would expect ME would ask for more. He would be nuts not too. His agent would be nuts not to pursue it, and I think generally the "Lost" creators would be amenable to some sort of a raise, given his contributions to the show.

I wouldn't be surprised if it's less than $225k, but IMO, he deserves what Foxy got. I'm biased, of course, but I think he's was key in reversing that show from its downward course. And I don't think I'm alone in that even among non-ME fans, from what I read on EW, E! and Lost sites.

I hope he and Terry get good raises, and all the others get some too. Jack is not the reason the show is succeeding, but maybe like his character, he's a bit of a cry baby too.

I still fall back to my opinion that no actor is worth that much money. The lawyers who prosecuted Big Tobacco, maybe; or the doctors who pioneered organ transplants, maybe. Nelson Mandela, maybe, but an actor on a serial TV show? Nah.

[txvoodoo.livejournal.com]

Eh - not worth it? It's so subjective. And their careers don't last, usually - this may be the last time they earn any kind of substantial money.

We feed it, by watching. If we didn't, they wouldn't sell ads, or DVDs, and salaries would have to go down.

As far as Evi goes, I still think she's interesting, and from people who know her, she's shown herself to be a really good person. She doesn't parrot the same kind of platitudes that most actors do, and I honestly respect her for that. She says what pops into her mind. I'd rather someone be like that than be yet another brainless bobblehead.

[mythicfeline.livejournal.com]

We the public feed it, true enough, which is why I don't usually watch episodic TV much. I'm not really that taken by the cult of personality. Lost is the only series I watch right now. I had liked it because it was more of departure from the usual. it seems to have some substance, it's a little more different. I think I might stay with it, but if it gets to be like standard TV fare, I would prolly drift away.