Contract Negotiations Might Delay ‘Modern Family’s’ Production Schedule

With table read set for tomorrow, it seems uncertain whether Modern Family’s six Emmy-nominated leads will show up. Simply, the gang wants more money. Julie Bowen, Ty Burrell, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Eric Stonestreet and Sofia Vergara are negotiating together, ­Friends-style, to get their $65,000 an episode up to about $200,000, plus some backend dollars. Ed O’Neill is going at it alone because he was already at $100,000. $200,000 sounds like a lot – putting the actors at about $4,800,000 a season – and it is, but you have to consider a hugely popular series like Modern Family, especially once it goes into syndication, is worth easily well into the billions. The kids don’t seem to be asking for money, despite the fact that everyone knows that Nolan Gould is the absolute best.