"Breaking Dawn" Salary Dispute Pt 2

It’s no surprise that salary negotiations would be the key stumbling block to splitting the fourth and final Twilight book, Breaking Dawn, into two movies. (The actors’ contracts cover only four movies. This would make it five.) But who could have guessed it would be the supporting actors, not the stars, who would go to the mat for more money? As first reported by The Hollywood Reporter, co-stars Ashley Greene and Kellan Lutz are taking a hard-line approach to negotiations, while Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, and Taylor Lautner are close to signing their deals for both films. Director Bill Condon has already done so.

Greene and Lutz don’t have huge roles. Greene portrays Alice Cullen, the future-seeing sister of Edward Cullen and Bella’s closest friend in the Cullen clan. Lutz plays older brother Emmett Cullen and his part, so far, has been minor. Yet sources tell EW.com that the duo are asking for $4 million a piece for each of the final two films. Greene and Lutz had initially banded together with fellow co-stars Nikki Reed and Jackson Rathbone to form a united front, but sources say Reed backed down and is now close to finalizing her deal, which is said to be in the $750,000-$1 million range per film — the amount Summit initially offered the four cast members. (Rathbone’s status remains unclear, and his reps had not returned a call for comment at press time. Reed’s manager declined to comment.)

The studio declined to comment on the negotiations. But sources tell EW.com that Greene and Lutz believe that because the supporting actors do as much publicity as the lead actors, and have to log almost as many hours on set, they should be paid accordingly. One source involved in the negotiations says that Greene and Lutz just want to get $1 million or more.

Either way, what is peculiar is that Greene and Lutz are banding together at all. Greene’s Alice is a much more instrumental character than Lutz’s Emmett is. And considering that Summit has replaced actors before who played hardball (Rachelle LaFevre was dropped from the upcoming Eclipse in favor of Bryce Dallas Howard), it wouldn’t be a surprise if Summit chooses to replace either actor. It’s just fans will probably be much more outraged over Greene leaving than Lutz.