"Grey's Anatomy" Stars Sign New Retroactive Contracts

MARCH 9, 2007: Hollywood press has reported that some of the principal stars of TV's top drama "Grey's Anatomy" have successfully concluded their salary negotiations for the next season with Ellen Pompeo signing on to a new deal that will bring the actress almost $200,000 per episode. Her co-stars Dempsey, Oh and Heigl are yet to close new deals.

Original cast members James T. Pickens Jr. and Chandra Wilson have also agreed to new contracts, while Justin Chambers and T.R. Knight are close to signing new deals. They are all supposed to be paid in the neighborhood of $125,000 per episode.

The new deals are retroactive which means the new conditions will go back to the first episode of the current season.

Contrary to the rumors Patrick Dempsey and Sandra Oh have yet to sign new deals. As reported in the media, Katherine Heigl's negotiations have been stalled.

All cast members on ABC's "Grey's Anatomy" are under long-term seven-year deals with the studio.

It has become customary for the original casts of hit shows to renegotiate their contracts and receive raises after two seasons.

"Grey's Anatomy" premiered as a midseason replacement in late March 2005, so the renegotiations were held until now when the show marks two full seasons on the air.

Sources said some of the supporting actors headed into the renegotiations as a group that quickly dissolved.

The contract status for "Grey's" co-star Isaiah Washington is not clear. It has been suggested that he may not get a raise due to his use of a homophobic slur.

Meanwhile, Kate Walsh, who joined the cast of "Grey's Anatomy" at the end of Season 1, also has a new deal as part of her central role in the potential spin-off from the hit series.

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