TV briefs: 'Stranger Things' pay raises, Elle Duncan's pregnancy, Gary Franklin's death

ajc.com

Credit: Rodney Ho

Credit: Rodney Ho

Posted Wednesday, March 21, 2018 by RODNEY HO/rho@ajc.com on his AJC Radio & TV Talk blog

Deadline.com reported major raises for all regulars on Atlanta-produced "Stranger Things" for the third season, which is going into production next month.

Although Netflix declined to comment, Deadline said the four male younger kid leads Finn Wolfhard, Gaten Matarazzo,  Noah Schnapp and Caleb McLaughlin will see jumps from $30,000 to at least $200,000 per episode. Breakout star Millie Bobby Brown may have gotten an even larger raise, the story said.

Established adult actors Winona Ryder and David Harbour will see their pay jump ahead of those of the kids to the $300,000 to $350,000 range, according to the article.

The older teen regulars Natalia Dyer and Charlie Heaton will see an increase to the $100,000-$150,000 range.

Atlanta actress Priah Ferguson has been bumped up to a recurring role, the first local actor to get such an honor on the show. She plays the sister of Lucas and appeared in four episodes last year.

***

(Photo by Joe Faraoni / ESPN Images)

Credit: Rodney Ho

icon to expand image

Credit: Rodney Ho

Atlanta native Elle Duncan is a candidate to replace Jemele Hill and Michael Smith in the coveted 6 p.m. "SportsCenter" slot at ESPN, according to a story in The Sporting News.

Along with Katie Nolan, she's also an anchor of the new "SportsCenter on Snapchat."

And she is pregnant, due later this year with her husband Omar.  She joined ESPN in 2016. Duncan's early career in Atlanta was mostly at V-103 after starting at 790/The Zone. She worked at New England Sports Network before going to ESPN.

Read the extensive Sporting News interview here. It includes her candid thoughts on her pregnancy impacting her work, the Atlanta sports "curse," Robin Roberts as her guidepost and various ESPN controversies.

***

ajc.com

Credit: Rodney Ho

icon to expand image

Credit: Rodney Ho

11 Alive's Gary Franklin passed away last week of lung cancer.

According to 11Alive, the 75 year old worked in the business more than 50 years and covered the John F. Kennedy assassination, Martin Luther King Jr. and the Atlanta child murders. He retired from 11Alive in 2016.

Over the years, he has been a reporter, producer, writer, photographer and 11Alive’s overnight assignment editor.

"I've never had a dull day since working in television," Franklin said to 11Alive during a good-bye interview before his retirement. "I don't know of any other job that could stimulate the mind as much as being a journalist does."