NEW YORK (CNN/Money) -
HBO and James Gandolfini, star of the cable network's series "The Sopranos," were close to a settlement of their bitter feud over the star's pay, according to a published report Monday.
The two sides could announce as early as Monday they have reached a deal to drop their lawsuits and finalize negotiations over Gandolfini's pay as soon as he returns to work, the New York Times reported.
Gandolfini sued HBO, a unit of CNN/Money parent company AOL Time Warner (AOL: Research, Estimates), claiming the network breached his contract. HBO counter-sued for up to $100 million in damages, claiming Gandolfini's suit was frivolous and an effort to force the network to give him a bigger raise.
HBO had told the cast and crew of "The Sopranos" not to report to work for the start of filming for the series' fifth season, scheduled for March 24. The decision could mean the sudden end of the show, which has been a critical and financial success for HBO.
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Gandolfini, who plays mob boss Tony Soprano, is paid more than $5 million per season and sought a raise of up to $20 million, to make his pay comparable to that of stars of other TV shows, the Times said. HBO has offered about $11 million, and Gandolfini has reduced his request to about $16 million, according to the report.
Talks ended abruptly March 6, and Gandolfini filed suit soon after. Despite some conciliatory public statements by the star, the dispute has grown increasingly heated, with HBO accusing Gandolfini of blackmailing it.
Click here to read Gandolfini's suit against HBO
But talent manager Brad Grey, an executive producer of "The Sopranos," has served as an intermediary to help cool the debate and encourage Gandolfini to return to work "in a matter of weeks," the Times report said.
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