Grey's Anatomy casts gets 200k bonus

After a red-hot second season, the "Grey's Anatomy" cast is getting a 200k bonus.

Sources said Touchstone Television recently handed out $200,000 bonuses to each of the show's principal cast members, including Ellen Pompeo, Patrick Dempsey, James Pickens Jr., T.R. Knight, Sandra Oh, Katherine Heigl, Chandra Wilson, Isaiah Washington, Justin Chambers and Kate Walsh.
But sources close to key cast members say the bonus is not likely to head off pressure from the actors for the Disney-owned studio to renegotiate their original series deals at a higher pay rate in light of the show's meteoric ratings spike this past season. Indeed, ABC hopes the medical drama will reinvigorate the network's fortunes on Thursday with its bold move of the show to the 9 p.m. slot in the fall.

Touchstone TV, which declined comment on the "Grey's" bonuses, has a history of giving cash bonuses to the ensemble casts of its hit series. In early 2005, the studio rewarded the principal cast members of "Desperate Housewives" with bonuses said to be about $250,000 each four months into the run of the show. The "Desperate Housewives" actors also received salary bumps. Meanwhile, in January, the "Lost" gang received salary increases, with Matthew Fox also getting a bonus.

200k bonus? Seriously? That’s not at all in-line with the average working American bonus. Whatever. It’s a great show. I’m really pissed they are moving it to Thursday nights though next year. Article here.