Photo: Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic
The Sopranoscast got a big bonus thanks toJames Gandolfini, a new book claims.
The book spotlights Gandolfini’s generous decision after his fight for higher pay on the HBO series and intense contract negotiations almost shut down production on the series. InTinderbox, it states that Gandolfini was originally paid $5 million per season under a six-year contract, but after season 3, HBO doubled his pay.
He eventually landed on an agreement with HBO to make $1 million per episode (or $13 million per season.) The reason for Gandolfini signing the agreement had everything to do with hisSopranoscast members, the book claims.
Filming onTheSopranoswas about to stop because of the contract negotiations and would have left Gandolfini’s costars and crew members unemployed. “That was the third rail for Gandolfini. He cared too much about everyone else to let them all collapse around him,” Miller wrote in his book.
After negotiations settled and filming resumed, Gandolfini gave a bonus to each of his fellow actors and wrote a check for $33,000 to 16 of them. That was over $500,000 of his $13 million contract shared with his castmates.
Gandolfini died in June 2013 at the age of 51 from cardiac arrest. After his death, hisSopranoscast members expressed their grief and sadness. “I couldn’t have asked for any better actor or better gentleman to work with,” David Proval, who played Tony’s brother-in-law Richie Aprile on the series, told theNew York Postat the time.
Proval noted Gandolfini’s “generosity” as well. “His generosity was unmatched. He was always right there for me during the show. It was a head-spinning experience for everyone, yet he always found the time for me and everyone on the cast,” he said.
The Sopranosaired its final season on HBO in 2007.
source: people.com
