Modern Family is one happy family again.
The cast of ABC's hit comedy agreed to new terms on their contracts Friday, in time to begin production Monday on the show's fourth season, a spokesman for 20th Century Fox Television, which produces the show, confirmed.
Six adult stars — Ty Burrell, Julie Bowen, Eric Stonestreet, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Ed O'Neill and Sofia Vergara— sued the studio on Tuesday, seeking to void their 7-year contracts, but with the new agreement have dropped the lawsuit.
The actors, who were paid $65,000 an episode (or about $1.6 million) last season, will get close to $180,000 for the upcoming season, more than an earlier, rejected offer but less than they had been seeking. (O'Neill, who was paid about $100,000, will get more).
Executive producer Steve Levitan says of the public battle: "There were too many people involved" in the deal-making, and "the stakes are too big; it was almost inevitable." But the cast is "a huge part of the success of Modern Family, and we're happy they're going to get what they deserve."
Five of the actors were no-shows Tuesday for a reading of the season opener's script, but showed up Thursday for a rescheduled session, paving the way for negotiations to resume. The series is scheduled to return on Sept. 26.
