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Parsons (Sheldon), Galecki (Leonard) and Cuoco (Penny) are seeking up to $1 million per episode.
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Mayim Bialik, who plays Dr. Sheldon Cooper’s girlfriend, Dr. Amy Farrah Fowler, and Melissa Rauch, Howard Wolowitz’s wife, Bernadette Rostenkowski-Wolowitz, are the only members of the Big Bang Theory cast with new deals, with raises, for the coming season.
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CBS has renewed one of their biggest successes in years, The Big Bang Theory, for three more seasons (they completed 7 seasons so far). But, so far, the show’s stars Jim Parsons, Johnny Galecki, Kaley Cuoco, Simon Helberg and Kunal Nayyar, are yet to sign their deals.
The three-year renewal for the series, from executive producers Chuck Lorre, Bill Prady and Steve Molaro, is the reason for the delay in signing, as it has given the cast leverage to negotiate fat raises.
The Hollywood Reporter suggests the negotiations, which began in September, have been stuck all this time, even though the cast is expected to come back to work on the show at the Burbank set by the end of July, whether or not they have new contracts.
Parsons (Sheldon), Galecki (Leonard) and Cuoco (Penny) currently earn $325, 000 per episode each, and they’re seeking up to $1 million per half-hour (21 minutes, really). They’re probably going to negotiate together. Helberg (Howard) and Nayyar (Rajesh) are also expecting increases and will negotiate together.
The Big Bang Theory contract talks will very likely be a hot topic of discussion next week, during CBS Entertainment chairman Nina Tassler’s appearance at the Television Critics Association’s summer press tour. The series is returning to Comic-Con in San Diego, where, for the second year, the panel will consist of the show’s writers.
Last year, at least, they had Kaley Cuoco and Melissa Rauch introduce the panel and host.
Big Bang Theory has been the No. 1 TV comedy since the 2010. It’s averaging almost 20 million viewers per episode, and a 6.1 rating among adults under 50. The series is also a hit in syndication.
The Big Bang Theory will probably end after 10 years, at least according to Steve Molaro. “10 is the end unless we’re told otherwise, ” he said. “These are decisions that are so far away I can’t really even think about that. I have no choice but to move forward … it’s so far away (laughs). The mindset is it’s going to be the 10, and then we’ll see what happens after that.”
Big Bang Theory will return to your screen Monday, Sept. 22, and then back to Thursdays starting Oct. 30.
