'Modern Family' Cast Sues Studio to Void Contracts Amidst Salary Talks

Sofia Vergara, Ty Burrell, Julie Bowen, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Ed O'Neill and Eric Stonestreet are a united front, that's for sure! The Modern Family stars are filing suit in L.A. to void their contracts with 20th Century Fox.

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As pointed out by The Hollywood Reporter, the legal theory behind it is this: Their deals apparently violate the "Seven Year Rule" in California, which outlaws personal services contracts greater than seven years. Apparently in the biz, this is a common way for actors to void contracts as they ask for increased pay during renegotiations.

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The actors signed contracts through the seventh season of the show, but renegotiations like this, between the third and fourth seasons, are nothing new. 

THR reports the cast members (all except Ed -- he has worked out a separate deal) are being offered an increase of $150,000 each episode plus a $50,000 per episode bonus for the upcoming season. Then, $200,000 per episode for season five, $225,000 for season six, and up to a whopping $325,000 for season nine.

But the cast is asking for a lot more — double the offered salary for any potential seasons eight or nine.

Just last season, the adult actors earned $65,000 for each episode; Ed apparently earned around $105,000 per his separate deal. Considering the show is a hot prospect with nearly 13.1 million weekly viewers, we'll have to see how this one plays out!