Five cast members of “The Big Bang Theory” are taking pay cuts to free up big bucks to keep the original stars in motion for its expected last two seasons.
Variety reports that Mayim Bialik and Melissa Rauch “have finalized their deals with producer Warner Bros. Television to stay with the Chuck Lorre comedy” set around Caltech in Pasadena.
“According to insiders with knowledge of the negotiations, the deal will pay Bialik and Rauch $500,000 per episode for 48 episodes,” Variety said.
The top-rated CBS show’s original five cast members — Jim Parsons (Sheldon), Johnny Galecki, Kaley Cuoco, Kunal Nayyar and Simon Helberg — are set to earn $900,000 per episode each, a $100,000-per-episode pay cut.
That savings freed up money for Bialik and Rauch’s raises, the trade journal said.
Bialik and Rauch failed to get the pay parity they were seeking, Variety said, “but the $500,000 per episode fee is a significant increase from the $175,000-$200,000 per episode that each had been making.”