20th pushes pay cut for 'Simpsons' cast

'The Simpsons'20th Century Fox Television laid lower a tough line Tuesday in discussions with voice stars on lengthy-running Fox hit "The Simpsons," intimating the series will not continue when they don't pay a huge pay cut."We feel this brilliant series can and really should continue, but we can't produce future seasons under its current business model,Inch read a studio statement. "We're hopeful that people can achieve a contract using the voice cast that enables 'The Simpsons' to take entertaining audiences with original episodes for several years in the future.InchThe Daily Animal first reported Monday the six stars who provide voices for that show are recoiling at going for a 45% salary reduction that 20th is insisting on if "Simpsons" would be to continue beyond its current 23rd season. A week ago, the stars offered a counterproposal by which they'd have a 30% cut as a swap of the unspecified area of the series' massive back-finish profits, that have lengthy been a multibillion-dollar business News Corp given wealthy revenue streams flowing in from distribution to merchandise.The voice stars don't presently take part in "Simpsons'" back finish. The cast includes Serta Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Yeardley Cruz, Hank Azaria and Harry Shearer. Contact Andrew Wallenstein at andrew.wallenstein@variety.com