ER - Bye Bye, Alex

Mely · 06-07-2004, 08:23 AM

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ER star leaves amid 'age dispute'

Actress Alex Kingston is to leave hit US TV hospital drama ER, saying producers saw her as one of "the old fogeys who are no longer interesting".

She told the Radio Times the producers decided not to renew her contract. She said it was "a shock and upsetting".

She plays icy surgeon Elizabeth Corday in the popular long-running NBC drama.

Kingston described suddenly feeling "very old" on set, adding: "Does it mean that I'm the geriatric being pushed out because she's too old?"

Kingston, 41, former wife of actor Ralph Fiennes, said she had also become "deeply unhappy" on the show and was aware she was being used less.

The show "definitely seems to be taking a different tone", she told the magazine.

"I understand it needs to keep reinventing itself in order to keep going, and apparently I, according to the producers, the writers, am part of the old fogeys who are no longer interesting. In that respect it's a shame," she said.

"It's fine to have young med students, but you need to have figures of authority, people of different ages, races, shapes and sizes.

"The classics are all on their way out. And what happens when they've gone, which will be very soon?"

She also suggested her $150,000 (£81,000)-per-episode salary could have counted against her.

"I know for a fact that the newcomers aren't getting much at all," she said.

"I don't think any of the American networks knew how phenomenally successful Friends and ER would ever be and the power that those actors could command.

'Financial feelings'

"But in today's climate, I think it's going the other way. Studios and producers make their contracts watertight and are much tougher in negotiating.

"I'm sure there must have been some financial feelings behind the decision not to renew my contract."

No-one at NBC was immediately available to respond to Kingston's comments.

She also refuted a suggestion by director Quentin Tarantino that British actors "plundered" Hollywood once they became successful.

"For a start, it's not the Brits at the moment, it's the Australians," she said. "Brits just get to play the villains. I think it's always been that way.

"The Brits have always come over to Hollywood, since the 40s. It's to do with their talent, and there are plenty of British people who come over and have to go back disappointed."

Kingston has been in ER since the fourth series, which aired in the US from 1997. The show is now into its 10th series.

Kingston said she was returning to the UK to do a film before returning to shoot the beginning of the next series of ER.

She has remarried, to Florian Haertel, and has a daughter, Salome.

I know we have a press thread, but I felt that Alex had raised some very good points [I highlated those] and that the article should get more exposure than it would on the press thread.

Neon x Stars · 06-07-2004, 08:41 AM

With all due respect to Ms. Kingston, that sounds like a load of bitter malarkey to me.

ER is no younger now than it was when it first started out.

Then:
George Clooney - 32
Anthony Edwards - 32
Eric La Salle - 32
Julianna Margulies - 28
Sherry - 27
Noah Wyle - 24

Now:
Laura Innes - 44
Ming Na - 40
Maura Tierney - 39
Sherry Stringfield - 36
Noah Wyle - 33
Goran Visnjic - 32
Linda Cardellini - 29
Parminder Nagra - 28
Mekhi Phifer - 28

In fact, one could argue that the older contingent is better represented now as opposed to then.

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It's fine to have young med students, but you need to have figures of authority, people of different ages, races, shapes and sizes.

And they will, even with her gone.

I'm not saying AK has no right to be angry, she absolutely does, I just think her anger is directed at the wrong people for the wrong reasons. If she wants to point fingers, she should point them at Anthony Edwards for demanding Mark have a love interest/settle down and the end result being a (IMO) dreadful, chemistry-less union between Mark/Elizabeth that sucked all the backbone and life out of the character of Elizabeth. Or, she should blame the writers for their apparent inability to write anything substantial/intelligent for Elizabeth once Mark was gone. (long before the show took this "new turn")

Furthermore, it was disgustingly catty to mention the younger crowd's contracts and/or salaries.

Starryed · 06-07-2004, 08:55 AM

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With all due respect to Ms. Kingston, that sounds like a load of bitter malarkey to me.

I completey agree.

- Helen - · 06-07-2004, 09:43 AM

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Originally posted by Neon x Stars
With all due respect to Ms. Kingston, that sounds like a load of bitter malarkey to me.

Exactly. I agree with you completely on everything you said.

groovyk1 · 06-07-2004, 09:44 AM

Its not as if she's the only older cast member..Laura Innes, Ming Na are older too.

Mely · 06-07-2004, 10:09 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Neon x Stars
With all due respect to Ms. Kingston, that sounds like a load of bitter malarkey to me.

Laregely I agree, though I think she's sort of right... The cast is around the same age, the characters aren't. All characters but Carter were, in S1, in their late twenties or so, while we know have some that are in their early twenties [Neela, Sam, Lester though he's not a regular, and soon Ray], the others are mostly in their early thirties...

But yeah, overall you are right, it's mostly bitter-talk.

CarterKerry · 06-07-2004, 11:36 AM

Interns are not in their early twenties. First Year residents in The US if they graduated fron HS at age 18, went directly to college for four years, and then went to medical school directly after college with no breaks are around 26 when they are in interns.

Carter as a third year medical student would have been around 24. Benton/Susan who were two years ahead of carter would have been around 26-27. Mark Greene as chief resident would have been around 28-30 depending on whether he was a fourth year chief resident or fifth Year one. Carol was probaly in her mid to late Twenties. Doug was probably in his early thirties. The cast today average age odf main cast characters is higher.

I think Alex Kinston sounds bitter. I think Her contract not being renewed has more to do with TPTB not knowing what to do with her character anymore . If age was the main factor, why was Maura'a and laura's contract renewed. The reason why theirs was reneweed because TPTB still felt that they had plenty to do with these characters IMO. Cordays's character was ruined and never recovered when they had to dull her down to pair her with Mark.

mcdreamylover · 06-07-2004, 02:21 PM

Ming-Na is 40? I thought I read somewhere she was in her mid 30's?

Anyways, that's just wrong to get rid of her because she's over 40. This isn't Chicago ER 90210 after all.

groovyk1 · 06-07-2004, 02:49 PM

Ming-Na was born in November 1963. She'll be 41 this year. Its shocking...she doesn't look it.

Chanie · 06-07-2004, 03:04 PM

*cough*Theywanttheshowtoappealtoayoungeraudience*cough*

I'm sure Alex Kingston is probably right to some extent, but I don't really care whether they focus on younger characters or not. As long as the show doesn't become another episode of Dawson's Creek. Maura is 39 and Abby is one of the most (if not THE most) prominent character on the show.

Quote:

Originally posted by groovyk1
Ming-Na was born in November 1963. She'll be 41 this year. Its shocking...she doesn't look it.

That's crazy, she barely looks 35.

Quote:

LONDON - Alex Kingston says she�s being axed from �ER� for being too old.

The British actress, who plays Dr. Elizabeth Corday on the long-running NBC medical drama, said she was told recently that after seven years on the show, her contract would not be renewed.

In an interview with Radio Times magazine, the 41-year-old Kingston said the program was increasingly focused on young characters, �and apparently I, according to the producers and the writers, am part of the old fogies who are no longer interesting.�

�In that respect it�s a shame. It�s fine to have young med students, but you need to have figures of authority, people of different ages, races, shapes and sizes,� she said.

Kingston said being let go �was a shock and obviously upsetting, but it�s just your ego that�s upset. Then I got over it.�

The actress, who starred as a warrior queen in the British drama �Boudica� last year, said she plans to return to Britain for film and television work.

�Scariness comes from not knowing whether I can do it anymore, because I�ve been playing one role for so long,� she said.

�Admittedly, I�ve done little bits and pieces, but I�m very excited about getting back to the U.K.�

Source

Fallen From Above · 06-07-2004, 03:08 PM

Hell, yeah. Alex is bitter. But if I had just been sacked from one of the biggest television shows of all time, where I received a salary of $150,000 per episode I'd be bitter. Majorly bitter.

I also think that she does raise some good points. Yes the cast now are actually on average older but at the moment there seems to be a lot of 'fresh blood.' I think that also she is not only refering to having younger cast members, but simply new ones. TPTB seem to be introducing many more cast members (too many IMHO) and to accomodate them all some people have to go. They seem to be getting rid of the oldest of the cast members.

Although I don't think her critising the salaries of the younger cast is exactly fair but I think she is actually making some valid points. She feels hard done by, and rightly so. TPTB ruined her character and then proceeded to give her practically no screentime. Alex Kingston is a very talent actress and they wasted her.

I hate to say it but I think Ming-Na will be going as well next season (that isn't based on any spoilers as I haven't read any for next season) I think TPTB will get rid of her. Just think of the amount of screentime she gets... I hate to say it but I think Sherry might even be going, whether that is down to TPTB or her. She's had a baby, she doesn't get used and some of the older characters are on their way out... If I were her perhaps I would be considering it. That for me would be the biggest blow. I'm not sure that I could even watch the show anymore. All these new characters just don't interest me anymore. There are too many, too fast. I want the classic ER, including the nurses other than Abby and Sam.

mcdreamylover · 06-07-2004, 05:02 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by groovyk1
Ming-Na was born in November 1963. She'll be 41 this year. Its shocking...she doesn't look it.

A big WORD to that! I hope I look that good when I'm 40!

Neon x Stars · 06-07-2004, 05:54 PM

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Hell, yeah. Alex is bitter. But if I had just been sacked from one of the biggest television shows of all time, where I received a salary of $150,000 per episode I'd be bitter. Majorly bitter.

The fact that she made $150,000 dollars to do practically nothing over the last 2-3 years is one reason why the bitterness surprises me. It sounds to me like even though she wasn't getting the screen time, TPTB were more than compensating in dollars.

Quote:

I also think that she does raise some good points. Yes the cast now are actually on average older but at the moment there seems to be a lot of 'fresh blood.' I think that also she is not only referring to having younger cast members, but simply new ones. TPTB seem to be introducing many more cast members (too many IMHO) and to accommodate them all some people have to go.

This is not the first time we've had an influx of newbies. Kellie Martin in S5 and then Ming-Na, Maura Tierney, Goran Visnjic, Erik Pallandino and Michael Michelle in S6. (alone!)

TPTB do a bit of an overhaul every couple of years or so. They test the waters with some characters; they see what works and what doesn't. And this, IMO, is important to the vitality of the show. Let's be honest, characters get played after awhile and TPTB seemingly reached their artistic peak with Elizabeth years ago, so she was the most viable option for the chopping block.

AK wants to blame it on ageism, but I'd say it's more of a case of the writers not knowing what else to do with the character for whatever reason and/or reaching the end of the line with her.

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Although I don't think her critising the salaries of the younger cast is exactly fair but I think she is actually making some valid points. She feels hard done by, and rightly so. TPTB ruined her character and then proceeded to give her practically no screen time. Alex Kingston is a very talent actress and they wasted her.

Except that Elizabeth/AK got screwed over LONG before any of the new guys joined so her taking pot shots at them isn't just "not exactly fair." It's not fair at all. They're all working actors like herself, and they've got no guarantee that just because they're younger, their jobs are secure. They could all be sacked at any time. And they wouldn't have half as much money or acclaim to take with them.

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They seem to be getting rid of the oldest of the cast members.

Laura is the oldest cast member and she's still there. And Sharif Atkins just left, he's what 28...29? So.

Mely · 06-07-2004, 09:05 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by groovyk1
Ming-Na was born in November 1963. She'll be 41 this year. Its shocking...she doesn't look it.

We're actually not sure about that, some sources list her year of birth as '68. Ahh, random flashbacks of a whole Jinter thread trying to find the correct information.

last beautiful girl · 06-08-2004, 04:29 PM

I'll miss her. I did love her and Mark(Anthony Edwards) relationship.


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