Home Box Office countered The Sopranos star James Gandolfini Tuesday with a lawsuit of
its own in California Superior Court, asserting that the actor is breaching his
contract.
HBO is seeking up to $100 million in damages, claiming that it will "suffer
substantial monetary loss" if production on the series' fifth season has to be
scrapped.
Gandolfini, who plays mob boss Tony Soprano, is allegedly seeking a substantial
increase over the current $400,000 per episode he earns, and he filed suit last week in
California.
He has a six-season deal.
In its suit, HBO claimed that it offered Gandolfini a "very extensive increase"
this year, although it had no legal obligation to do so.
HBO also claimed that because the show, the companies and the actor involved
are all New York-based, New York law, and not California law, should govern.
