'Modern Family' cast sues studio during salary negotiations

Modern Family may just have been nominated for its third Best Comedy Emmy, but the adult cast is clearly taking their ongoing salary negotiations seriously. EW has confirmed that a table read scheduled for 11:30 a.m. PT today was canceled an hour prior, when the production team was informed the actors would not be attending.

Ty Burrell, Sofia Vergara, Julie Bowen, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, and Eric Stonestreet filed a lawsuit today against 20th Century Fox Television seeking to void their current deals claiming they violate California's "Seven-Year Rule" that prohibits personal service contracts lasting longer than seven years. Casts of popular shows frequently renegotiate for higher salaries between seasons 3 and 4 while committing to stay with the series beyond season 7. Ed O'Neill, whose salary is believed to be on a different level than his costars, is also unhappy with the studio's latest offer and will join his costars' lawsuit out of solidarity, according to The Hollywood Reporter. UPDATE: A rep for O'Neill confirms to EW he'll join the suit.

A 20th Century Fox spokesman had no comment.

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