Empire: Discussion Thread

[te.]

 

Honestly, as an unknown actor getting $20k per episode for a new tv drama isn't bad, plus there tend to be a small year-to-year increase  - of course, Empire ended up exploding in its first season and even if it's come down back to reality, it's still one of the best rated shows in the 18-49 demographic that advertisers love. I can see the frustration of feeling a bit underpaid, but he's not the first or last one. I believe the cast of This Is Us is pretty low paid for the amount of viewers it gets.

Edited February 21, 2019 by te.

[Faulkner]

Grain of salt:

 

 

[xtr]

 

I remember that show too, On Our Own. It didn't last very long and it was most known for them casting all of the Smollett siblings as real life siblings. (Except the very oldest sibling on the show who dressed up as a woman/a fake Aunt so he could continue to raise them.) Journee was always the one who had more steady work out of the siblings in that family, though I will say I think Jussie as Jamal has had the most well-known individual acting role of the siblings. It's true the actors playing the sons weren't really known that well by a lot of people, (though Trai did play in the minor role of Mookie on All My Children).

 

 

I read the actors of This is Us five central cast members ended up getting very large raises before Season 3 began. It is reported they are all now  get $250,000 per episode (When signing bonuses are factored in) and now will earn 4.5 million a season. They all started out getting different amounts when the show began, with Milo getting the most of the five central characters ($115,000) and Chrissy Metz getting the least. ($40,000)

 

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/is-us-stars-score-massive-pay-raises-season-3-1146707

 

I can understand how some actors especially new actors may not get that much at first. But I can also understand actors wanting/thinking they deserve a raise after a show becomes pretty successful like Empire did. I do wish that Jussie hadn't resorted to these awful tactics, his actions definitely are very damaging to himself and a lot of people.

 

 

 

Edited February 21, 2019 by xtr

[Vee]

Jussie had virtually no major career before Empire.

[Faulkner]

 

My favorite Jussie role was in The Skinny, directed by Patrik-Ian Polk (Noah’s Arc). A delightful little film.

 

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[Juliajms]

The fact that this was about money disgusts me.  I'm not even going to say what I think of him for that.  I will say that I have exactly zero sympathy for someone making $20, 000 an episode or $65,000 or whatever. That's still more money than 90% of Americans make.  That is the most f*cked up reason I have ever heard for committing such a heinous breach of trust.

Edited February 21, 2019 by Juliajms

[ChitHappens]

 

+1

[Faulkner]

 

[Khan]

 

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Didn't Jerry Springer do the same thing with a hooker when he was mayor of Cleveland?

 

Also, this is 2019.  Who in the hell still pays anybody with a check in 2019?  Has the n***a ever heard of Zelle?  Hell, has he ever heard of cash?

 

 

Like hell!  They'll just use old and unused footage, and use the back of some stand-in's head for the rest.

Edited February 21, 2019 by Khan

[John]

Recast Jamal and move on

[DramatistDreamer]

Jerry Springer is a former mayor of Cincinnati.

[Khan]

 

Oops, my bad.  Thanks, DD!  

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[edgeofnik]

 

90%?  Try 99.9%! 65K x 18 episodes = $1,170,000 

 

It's disgusting - this only makes it harder for hate crime victims to be believed or heard. I'm from Chicago and two big red flags from get-go: 1) Chicago ain't 'MAGA' country in any shape or form; and 2) it was 2 am during the height of the Polar Vortex. Ain't nobody sitting in wait outside. I can't tell you how sickened I am about this. 

 

Since Empire had 4 sons now, I'm betting Jamal was the one that was 'odd man out' and did this in an attempt to stop them from doing it. 

[DramatistDreamer]

 

Oh, no problem.  I only know that through some people that I met in college who told me.  At the time his show was on the air (it's not still on the air, is it?) and the fact that he'd been the mayor of a major midwestern city was quite something to digest.

 

Speaking of which, no offense but I'm surprised that Empire is still on the air.  Until last week, I'd completely lost track of the show.

 

 

[Faulkner]

I wonder if they’d go there. Clearly, recasts in primetime happen, but they’re still relatively rare, especially for someone who had a role as prominent as Jussie’s. At the same time, I’d think Jamal would be a pivotal character  for Lee Daniels to keep as an out black gay man. It’s important representation on a show watched by millions of black folks.

 

Damn, Jussie. What a mess.