The
actors who provide the voices for American TV show The Simpsons have
stopped work in a pay dispute involving the renewal of their three-year
contracts, according to reports.
Hollywood
trade paper Variety said the six actors had not shown up for two script
readings in the past few weeks.
Variety
said the row involved actors including Dan Castellaneta, who voices Homer,
Julie Kavner, who plays Marge, and Bart actress Nancy Cartwright. It said
actors’ representatives were negotiating new deals "to no avail".
A
previous dispute among staff on the show took place in 1998, when the actors
were making $30,000 (£16,000) per episode.
Producers
Twentieth Century Fox TV had hired casting directors to replace staff before a
new deal was worked out and production resumed.
