CSI Pair Sacked17 July 2004
OK, we're a little late on this, but as you've probably heard by now, Jorja Fox and George Eads have been sacked from CSI.
Eads, seeking a raise, skipped the first day of shooting Thursday for CSI's fifth season, Variety said. (The Hollywood Reporter said he showed, but showed up late for the 6:15 a.m. call time.)
Fox, reportedly canned on Wednesday, drew the wrath of CBS execs for failing to, as Variety put it, "reply to a letter asking her if she had any plans to not show up for work."
The trade paper said the network demanded in-writing assurances from all of its CSI actors--all of whom reportedly have been grumbling for more money--that they were going to be back at work as production began on the new season.
Apparently, only Gary Dourdan actually showed up on time, with Marg Helgenberger and William Petersen having legitimate health reasons.
The actors each had two years left on their TV standard seven-year contracts. Variety estimated they respectively were making about $100,000 an episode, and said that all the CSI supporting players recently had been offered small raises.
Variety said the network has already begun searching for Eads' and Fox's replacements. No news yet on whether they will replace the characters or just the actors.
William Petersen said he is "very saddened and deeply disappointed that this is the turn of events," and that he hopes "cooler heads will prevail and everything will be rectified and restored in due course."
We all hope this is just some tough negotiating by CBS execs and that boths stars will be back in the show soon.
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