Sopranos actor 'to drop lawsuit'

Sopranos actor 'to drop lawsuit'

Gandolfini plays mob boss Tony Soprano

Sopranos star James Gandolfini is expected to withdraw his lawsuit against TV network HBO - paving the way for a deal over the future of the hit drama.

HBO, which broadcasts hit show The Sopranos, believes the actor is going to dismiss his lawsuit which sought to release him from his contract in order to get a bigger pay deal.

Crisis talks between the network and the star, mediated by Sopranos producer Brad Grey, appear to have broken the deadlock.

HBO is also due to withdrawn its counter-action, leading Gandolfini's spokesman Dan Klores to say there was "optimism in the air".

HBO lawyer Bert Fields said his understanding was that Gandolfini's lawsuit was to be withdrawn imminently, which "is going to help clear the air and make quite a different feeling on the part of HBO".

It is not known whether HBO will give in to Gandofini's demands for more money. He currently earns $400,000 (£256,000) per episode.

Suspended

Gandolfini renegotiated his contract in 2000 in a $10m (£6.2m) deal for two seasons, following the success of the show but now wants his pay to reflect that of other TV stars.

Following Gandolfini's threat to pull out of the series, HBO suspended the show, telling cast and crew not to turn up on 24 March for the first day of filming.

Its own legal action said that the network would lose $100m (£69m) if Gandolfini failed to fulfil his contract.

The Sopranos, about an Italian-American mafia family, is the jewel in the crown for cable network HBO, and has been nominated for more than 50 Emmys during its five-series history.