Farewell, Lizzie: a Bitter Breakup between Disney and Hilary Duff

[MickeyMoose15]

The L.A. Times reports that Lizzie McGuire and Walt Disney Co. are getting divorced--Hollywood style. After weeks of rancorous negotiations over the future career of teen sensation Hilary Duff, the star of the Disney Channel's hit Lizzie McGuire sitcom and movie spinoff, the two sides confirmed Friday that they are splitting up amid accusations of greed and squandered opportunities. Keeping the phenomenon growing has been a major priority for Disney Chief Executive Michael Eisner, who put his second in command, President Bob Iger, in charge of the crucial negotiations. Hilary Duff wanted at least $100,000 an episode for a possible Lizzie-in-high-school sitcom for Disney's struggling television network, ABC--considerably more than the $15,000 per show she was paid for the Disney Channel series. But the Mouse was only willing to offer the 15-year-old actress $35,000 an episode, which she rejected as insultingly low. Two weeks later, Disney refused to pay Duff the $5 million she was seeking for a sequel to her hit movie. "Disney's strong-armed tactics and failure to pay our client a fee commensurate with offers received from other studios and networks caused the breakdown of negotiations with the Duffs," said Michael R. Fuller, Duff's attorney. "While the Lizzie McGuire franchise may be over for Disney, Hilary Duff's career is flourishing." Disney executives counter that the Duffs simply overplayed their hand, demanding unrealistic amounts. "We very much wanted to continue the Lizzie franchise," said Disney Studios production chief Nina Jacobson, who was involved in the negotiations. "But every deal has its tipping point, the point at which it no longer makes sense. Unfortunately, that's the point we reached in the Lizzie negotiations, and we ultimately had to say goodbye." Either way, this is clearly is a blow to Disney.

From Animated News

 

[VinnieG]

H.Duff sounds like to have the Suzanne Somers syndrome.She does not deserve $100,000.00 per episode I mean come on it is a fairly good show but then you would have to think of the other co-stars who help the show move along.Well good for Disney for standing up to this greedy person.It will not hurt Disnay at all ,they always have a new show & new star up their sleeves all the time.

 

[MickeyMoose15]

Was $5 million for a sequel that much considering she is being paid $2 million for another movie she is doing?

 

[SpongeScott]

Originally posted by VinnieG
H.Duff sounds like to have the Suzanne Somers syndrome.She does not deserve $100,000.00 per episode I mean come on it is a fairly good show but then you would have to think of the other co-stars who help the show move along.Well good for Disney for standing up to this greedy person.It will not hurt Disnay at all ,they always have a new show & new star up their sleeves all the time.

I would imagine that the $100K/episode was a negotiating stance and she didn't like with what they countered with the 35K. Too bad they can't work it out. Hope she makes it on her own.

 

[Brett]

Good riddance. It would have happened sooner or later anyways. She's just another teeny-bop girl that thinks she has the talent to withstand the test of time. 100K per episode is absolutely ridiculous. Best of luck to her, but I'll take the bet that her career starts taking a serious backslide.

 

[trekkie]

good for Disney for standing up to this greedy person

I don't really blame her. I mean, look at how much Ray Ramano gets per episode. Same with Kelsey Grammar. And the cast of FRIENDS. And the cast of SEINFEILD. Julia Roberts, Tom Cruise and Jim Carrey all demand upwards of $20 million per picture. Arnold Shwartzenager was paid $30 million for TERMINATOR 3.

I used to think that asking for ridiculous amounts of $$ for a television show or movie was bad. But, than I thought "If I were famous, and if the studio is willing, I would have done the same thing."

The problem here is that Duff is not Julia Roberts. She's not Tom Cruise. She's not Jim Carrey. She's an actress who, I think, has talent, but hasn't had a chance to show it off, being only in mediocre films & a very mediocre television show.

She's demanding too much money too early, and that will most certainly cause a barrier in her carrer..

 

[Brett]

Originally posted by trekkie
I don't really blame her. I mean, look at how much Ray Ramano gets per episode. Same with Kelsey Grammar. And the cast of FRIENDS. And the cast of SEINFEILD. Julia Roberts, Tom Cruise and Jim Carrey all demand upwards of $20 million per picture. Arnold Shwartzenager was paid $30 million for TERMINATOR 3.

I used to think that asking for ridiculous amounts of $$ for a television show or movie was bad. But, than I thought "If I were famous, and if the studio is willing, I would have done the same thing."

The problem here is that Duff is not Julia Roberts. She's not Tom Cruise. She's not Jim Carrey. She's an actress who, I think, has talent, but hasn't had a chance to show it off, being only in mediocre films & a very mediocre television show.

She's demanding too much money too early, and that will most certainly cause a barrier in her carrer..

Plus, this IS a show on the Disney Channel. Not NBC, ABC, CBS or FOX. Her show doesn't have nearly the ratings and tv sponsers that these shows have. Her asking price is ridiculous.

 

[SpongeScott]

Originally posted by Brett
Plus, this IS a show on the Disney Channel. Not NBC, ABC, CBS or FOX. Her show doesn't have nearly the ratings and tv sponsers that these shows have. Her asking price is ridiculous.

But the new show was going to be on ABC. Still, prove yourself first before asking for the enormous increase.

 

[Brett]

Originally posted by sandjhooker
But the new show was going to be on ABC. Still, prove yourself first before asking for the enormous increase.

Guess I should have continued to read the article. After the $100K comment, I drifted off into space or something. Thanks for pointing that out

 

[MickeyMoose15]

Originally posted by sandjhooker
But the new show was going to be on ABC. Still, prove yourself first before asking for the enormous increase.

But ABC is struggling with ratings, so they have less money to offer then other networks.

Remember that they cut seven actors from The Practice because the $6 million per episode budget was cut to $3 million per episode and most actors didn't want a pay cut.

 

[james4023464]

Hilary Duff is a horrible actor, the show is good but i dont really care. I would of liked to see a high school show on abc but i guess that not happening. Hilary is out of her mind for those price demands, i mean look what Disney did for her they made her famous and shes just gonna leave them. Why does Disney and abc have to be so poor. argh

 

[Bagheera]

From what I've heard somewhere (and I'm trying to remember where), it's probably not Hilary Duff that's being unreasonable. I read somewhere that her mom is the latest stage mom from hell. It's probably her mom making the fiscal decisions. After all, I'm not sure that a 15-year-old can legally sign off on these things. My money's on the mom being greedy.

 

[MicBat]

Wow!... I really liked Hilary up until now... I always saw her as a sweet innocent little girl. Now I see her as a money hungry b***c. I guess money does that to people, though.

 

[MicBat]

Originally posted by Bagheera
From what I've heard somewhere (and I'm trying to remember where), it's probably not Hilary Duff that's being unreasonable. I read somewhere that her mom is the latest stage mom from hell. It's probably her mom making the fiscal decisions. After all, I'm not sure that a 15-year-old can legally sign off on these things. My money's on the mom being greedy.

Any parent that takes their child out of school while in the third grade can easily be classified as a stage mom.

 

[blm07]

I always thought of Miranda, Gordo and Lizzy as equals when watching the show. Maybe its her parents who want the more money and she can't do anything about it. I'd sit around and talk about clothes and other stupid things for $35,000.

 

[james4023464]

Originally posted by MicBat
Wow!... I really liked Hilary up until now... I always saw her as a sweet innocent little girl. Now I see her as a money hungry b***c. I guess money does that to people, though.

amen to you brother i agree with you 100%, i also used to think like that about Hilary but now i dont want to suppert her. Next thing you know shes gonna get breast implants and turn in to the next Britney lol just my thought.:lol:

 

[Rooster]

Originally posted by james4023464
amen to you brother i agree with you 100%, i also used to think like that about Hilary but now i dont want to suppert her. Next thing you know shes gonna get breast implants and turn in to the next Britney lol just my thought.:lol:

Oh God I hope not. I don't think the planet can handle another Britney or Christina.:brick:

 

[MickeyMoose15]

Unfortunately they seem to be focusing more on her singing career more then anything else though her singing isn't any better then her acting, sorry to say.

 

[MicBat]

Originally posted by MickeyMoose15
Unfortunately they seem to be focusing more on her singing career more then anything else though her singing isn't any better then her acting, sorry to say.

I like to call it talking with rhythm..

 

[blm07]

Originally posted by MickeyMoose15
Unfortunately they seem to be focusing more on her singing career more then anything else though her singing isn't any better then her acting, sorry to say.

Actually after hearing the songs a thousand times on the Disney channel, you start to sorta like it. But I will never buy or download any of her songs. I probably will never even hear it again unless its on tv.