by Lia Haberman
Feb 26, 2003, 12:30 PM PT
Hey, A.J.: Sixty thousand smackers will buy you a lot of (bleeping) ziti.
With news of five Sopranos stars renegotiating their contracts for another season of the HBO hit series, Robert Iler won't be the only one able to afford all the pasta casseroles he can eat.
The actor who plays Anthony Jr. was joined at the bargaining table by Michael Imperioli, Tony Sirico, Drea de Matteo and Jamie-Lynn Sigler, who all signed on for a fifth and possible sixth season, according to today's Hollywood Reporter. (A sixth season isn't out of the question, considering HBO has been pulling creator David Chase back in ever since the fourth season.)
Imperioli, whose character spent the majority of the past season in a drug-induced haze, reportedly netted himself a fee of about $80,000 per episode for the upcoming season, which is scheduled to begin shooting next month.
Meanwhile, Iler reportedly joined forces with fellow cast members Sirico, de Matteo and Sigler to strong-arm their fee up from between $15,000 to $25,000 per episode to a healthy $60,000 an episode for the fifth season.
The supporting cast members allegedly had deals through the sixth season, but after last season's finale attracted 12.5 million viewers, making it the second most watched show in HBO history and hijacking that Sunday night's Nielsen ratings, the players went looking for payback.
For its part, HBO refused to confirm the wheeling and dealing. "We don't comment on anything that has to do with contracts or money," said HBO spokesperson Tobe Becker like a good consiglieri.
De Matteo's attorney, Todd Rubenstein, who allegedly handled the negotiations for her, Iler, Sirico and Sigler, wasn't talking either.
But if the trade account is accurate, that puts the Sopranos supporting cast members on a pay par with what their supporting counterparts at NBC's West Wing received last year. However, the Mafia drama earns its stars lower yearly salaries because the cable series only tapes 13 episodes per season as opposed to an average 22 for a broadcast series.
Harried head of the family James Gandolfini has yet to negotiate his cut from the upcoming season, but you can bet this TV don won't be lacking for ziti.
Of course, Gandolfini could find himself sharing his windfall with former wife Marcella, the mother of his three-year-old son. The actor's marriage was officially iced last December, when New York State Supreme Court Justice Judith Gische granted a divorce in favor of the jilted missus.
The ruling settled what had the potential to become a nasty divorce battle, as Marcella went public with tales of Gandolfini's alleged cocaine use, excessive boozing and "kinky sex with multiple mistresses." But in the end the two reportedly patched things up long enough to avoid slinging their mud in court.
Marital bliss also eluded Tony Soprano last year, as Carmela told the big lug to take a hike in the season finale. "You've made a fool of me for years," Carmela ranted on the 75-minute, fourth-season ender. "You've had quite a time on my watch."
Tony's fate is unclear, but don't feel too sorry for Gandolfini. The actor is currently starring opposite Ben Affleck in the dark comedy Surviving Christmas. He's also on board for the indie drama Before the Devil Knows You're Dead.