CBS/ Norman Shapiro(LOS ANGELES) — Daniel Dae Kim and Grace Park announced last week that they were leaving Hawaii Five-O, citing a lack of pay parity with fellow cast members Alex O’Loughlin and Scott Caan.
Now, CBS has responded that it offered “large and significant salary increases” to both actors, disputing a Facebook post by Kim Wednesday.
Kim didn’t elaborate on his departure in Wednesday’s post, but noted “the path to equality is rarely easy.”
“Daniel and Grace have been important and valued members of Hawaii Five-0 for seven seasons,” CBS said in a statement obtained by Variety. “We did not want to lose them and tried very hard to keep them with offers for large and significant salary increases. While we could not reach an agreement, we part ways with tremendous respect for their talents on screen, as well as their roles as ambassadors for the show off screen, and with hopes to work with them again in the near future.”
O’Loughlin and Caan will each earn about $200,000 per episode for the show’s upcoming eighth season, $5,000 more than Kim and Park were offered, sources tell Variety. Kim alleges the gap is even wider — O’Loughlin and Caan also reportedly get a piece of the profits from a syndication deal with TNT, adding to their paychecks.
CBS contends that Kim and Park are supporting players and therefore command a lower salary. Kim and Park also reportedly did not negotiate as a unit in their discussions with CBS, according to the sources who add that the final offer for Park was lower than Kim’s.
Hawaii Five-0 season eight debuts September 29.
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