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Bruce A. Simon

Bruce A. Simon posted in CAST & TALENT

#dyinghollywood
#actor

['The Pitt' is telling actors to take it or leave it…

Max's upcoming hospital drama ‘The Pitt’ is causing a stir in Hollywood—and not just because of that lawsuit claiming it copied ER.

The scoop: Usually, when actors join a big streaming show, their agents typically spend weeks haggling over every dollar of their client's paycheck. But ‘The Pitt’ is trying something different: except for Noah Wyle, who stars and executive produces, the show's regular cast members get fixed salaries of either $50K or $35K per episode—no negotiation allowed.

Why it matters: With 15 episodes and 10 regular cast members who need to be on set daily, 'The Pitt' is bigger than most streaming shows—making predictable costs crucial. At a time when TV networks are tightening belts (goodbye, 'Friends'-style million-dollar paydays), this fixed-fee approach:
• Makes casting faster
• Keeps budgets predictable
• Works well for large casts

Looking ahead: While this isn't industry standard (yet), ‘The Pitt’ could be the template for future "reasonably priced" streaming dramas. HBO/Max boss Casey Bloys is already pointing to it as the model for Max's drama strategy. Other shows testing fixed fees for guest stars:
• ‘Accused’ (Fox): $150K per lead guest
• ‘Elsbeth’ (CBS): $100K for special guests
• ‘Poker Face’ (Peacock): $75K (down from $150K in Season 1)

The bigger picture: This is part of TV's post-peak reality check. While top stars can still command big bucks, supporting players are facing a new normal. With fewer series-regular roles available and budgets shrinking, fixed-fee models might be the future of TV casting—whether actors like it or not.] ~ The Dailies

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