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Jorja Fox (Sara Sidle) and George Eads (Nick Stokes) are crime scene investigators no more. The actors were yesterday axed from CSI: Crime Scene Investigation by CBS network executives Les Moonves and Nancy Tellem for breach of contract, Variety reported. Both Fox and Eads had been signed to the show for seven years. Eads, who was reportedly seeking a pay rise, was a no-show when production on the season premiere, "Viva Las Vegas", began yesterday. Fox was also looking for more money, but still showed up for work on Thursday. However, CBS fired the actress after she failed to reply to the network's letter asking whether she planned to turn up for work during the pay negotiations. Variety reported the producers are already searching for replacements, but it is not yet known whether the parts of Sara Sidle and Nick Stokes will be recast or whether the characters will simply be written off the show. It is likely "Viva Las Vegas" will undergo extensive rewrites to accommodate the departure of Fox and Eads. Refusing to show up to the set is a common tactic used by actors seeking a pay rise. Everybody Loves Raymond cast member Brad Garrett successfully used the ploy last year to secure more money, as did the supporting actors of The West Wing in 2001. |
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CSI: Crime Scene Investigation cast members Jorja Fox (Sara Sidle) and George Eads (Nick Stokes) were reportedly sacked from the series this week after CBS took a hard-line stance during a pay dispute. Network sources today told trade paper Variety that Fox, Eads and fellow supporting actors Gary Dourdan (Warrick Brown) and Paul Guilfoyle (Jim Brass) were "all offered minor raises in exchange for more airtime in a take-it-or-leave-it scenario". The actors were reportedly earning approximately $100,000 per episode but were negotiating for larger salaries. According to the Hollywood Reporter, CBS asked all cast members to write a letter confirming that they would report to the set on Thursday, the scheduled first day of filming for the season premiere, "Viva Las Vegas". In the past the network has had problems with actors calling in sick in order to give themselves leverage in pay disputes, as several Everybody Loves Raymond cast members did last year. Fox, despite earlier reports claiming she turned up to the set on Thursday (story), was sacked on Wednesday night after reportedly failing to send in her letter. Eads, who is also said not to have turned in his letter, reportedly turned up to work late on Thursday only to be fired. However, according to Variety sources, Fox did return her letter and "was surprised and mystified when she was fired". Sources close to Eads told the Hollywood Reporter that he too had sent his letter into CBS. Marg Helgenberger (Catherine Willows) and William Petersen (Gil Grissom) are also looking for bigger paychecks, according to Variety. Both actors failed to report to the CSI set yesterday, "but for health reasons industry insiders said were legit", the trade paper said. Helgenberger reportedly earns $200,000 per episode, while Petersen is said to pull in $500,000. CBS has yet to make any official comment on the firings of Fox and Eads. |
| QUOTE (Psycho Jack @ Jul 19 2004, 08:47 PM) |
| Mhh, not that bothered about them going tbh. Tend to agree with James that WP is the only irreplaceable member. Having said that, I do like Warrick too! :) Also - just found this too . . . the last line is clearly a lie! :rolleyes: "Reiko Aylesworth, who played Michelle on 24 for the past two seasons, is set to join the original CSI, as a lab-based detective, says Variety. Aylesworth's casting is unrelated to George Eads and Jorja Fox being let go from the show." |
| QUOTE (Psycho Jack @ Jul 19 2004, 08:53 PM) |
| Indeed. I was just about to do a spoiler thread! :) |
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| Axed 'CSI' actors may return 22:22 BST, Thursday 22nd July 2004 -- by Neil Wilkes Axed CSI actors George Eads and Jorja Fox look set to be reinstated on the cast of the crime drama, according to reports today. The duo were both dropped by the show's broadcast network CBS last week after failing to show for the first day of filming on the upcoming fifth season. Network chief Leslie Moonves cited an ongoing dispute over pay as the reason for their no-show and subsequent dismissal. Now both actors claim the whole affair was a "misunderstanding" and expect to be back on the show within days. "They think it's about money and it's not," Eads told reporters Wednesday. "I overslept. ... I woke up white as a sheet 3 1/2 hours after I was supposed to be on the set." He added that after calling in to say he was on his way, he was told "don't bother." Eads said he had apologised for the mistake and was keen to make a comeback. "Let me tell you, I've apologised nine ways to Sunday. It's a big misunderstanding, straight up. I want all this to work out. 'CSI' is a part of who I am." Fox, meanwhile, had been let go a day before Eads because she had apparently missed a deadline to pledge in writing that the pay issue would not affect her turning up for work. The actor said she was "mystified" by her dismissal as she had sent in the letter in time. Sources told E! News Live today that CBS had ruled the incident a "misunderstanding," clearing the way for Fox's return. CBS has yet to comment. |
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Jorja Fox (Sara Sidle) is back on the CSI: Crime Scene Investigation payroll according to reports which say the actress negotiated a deal to return at her old salary. Variety (via Yahoo! News) is reporting that Fox will return to the set next week when CSI goes into production for its fifth season. Fox's salary will remain the same at approximately $100,000 an episode. The AP (via Yahoo! News) reports than an anonymous source suggests that George Eads (Nick Stokes), who was fired alongside Fox last week, may have opened the door for talks with CBS when he made his public apology at the TCA press tour (story). Eads, who claims he overslept the first day of filming, is talking with CBS executives about the possibility of returning to CSI as well. The actor is eager to resume his role: "I want all this to work out. CSI is a part of who I am," he said. While the CSI actors work to get their jobs back, one CSI: Miami star may be ready to leave his. According to The Houston Chronicle, Rory Cochrane (Tim Speedle) is asking Miami executives to write him out of the show. Cochrane, who had roles in Dazed & Confused, Empire Records and Hart's War, reportedly wants to focus on his movie career. |
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George Eads (Nick Stokes) has been rehired by CBS just over a week after he was fired by the network for breach of contract. CBS entertainment spokesman Chris Ender yesterday said a deal had been reached that would see Eads back on the CSI: Crime Scene Investigation set next week, according to the Associated Press. The news comes only a day after Jorja Fox (Sara Sidle), who was also sacked last week, secured her return to the series (story). Like Fox, Eads was reportedly rehired at his old salary of $100,000 per episode. The actors were said to be seeking a pay raise when they were fired after allegedly failing to assure CBS that they would report to the set for the first day of filming on CSI's first day of filming (story). However, Eads has denied this, telling reporters at the Television Critics Association press tour: "It's never been about cash for me". The actor said he simply overslept on the day he was due to report to the set. Fox has made no public comment on the situation. CSI executive producer Jerry Bruckheimer issued a statement saying, "We are thrilled that Jorja and George could work things out with CBS and return to the show." After the actors were fired last week, production on the series had been shutdown, a Las Vegas location shoot was cancelled and casting notices were sent out to talent agencies looking for new actors to join the show. |
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| While the CSI actors work to get their jobs back, one CSI: Miami star may be ready to leave his. According to The Houston Chronicle, Rory Cochrane (Tim Speedle) is asking Miami executives to write him out of the show. |
| QUOTE (Laura @ Jul 24 2004, 02:03 PM) | ||
It will be a shame to have RC leave CSI:Miami, Speedle is one of my favourite characters on the show. |
| QUOTE (Laura @ Jul 24 2004, 03:02 PM) |
| But CSI:Miami would have built up a fanbase which would help in the movie career. The only movie I've seen RC in has been Empire Records which I loved him in, it's one of my favourite films. |
| QUOTE (Laura @ Jul 24 2004, 03:37 PM) |
| But didn't David Caruso act really arrogantly when he left NYPD? I've heard that he said the show wouldn't be successful without him and that couldn't have helped him. |