Big moves are happening off-screen for Shifting Gears. As the breakout series gears up for its upcoming second season, one of its leading stars is cashing in on the show’s success with a hefty pay raise. We're talking about Seann William Scott, who plays the role of Gabriel in the ABC comedy sitcom.
According to InTouch Weekly, Scott is currently going through a messy legal and personal dispute with his ex-wife, Olivia Korenberg. They are involved in a court battle over issues related to their living arrangements. Specifically, Korenberg accused Scott of trying to kick her and their daughter out of his Malibu home. Scott pushed back against these claims in court, disputing some of the allegations and asking the court to dismiss parts of her statements that he says are based on hearsay.
They recently attended a mediation to try to resolve their differences, but couldn’t come to an agreement. Now, they’re headed for a formal court hearing where Scott will testify about the situation. Alongside these personal and legal challenges, Scott informed the court that he has received a significant pay increase for Shifting Gears season 2.
As reported by InTouch Weekly, Scott previously told the court in February that he had earned a total of $900,000 for his role in the first season of Shifting Gears. Since the season consisted of 10 episodes and he appeared in all of them, this breaks down to approximately $90,000 per episode. In a more recent official declaration, Scott has now revealed that his pay per episode for the upcoming second season has risen significantly to $225,000. This number is said to be before commissions are taken out.
The new season consists of 10 episodes. If Scott appears in all of them, that means he will be making about $2.25 million for the season. That's a pretty impressive jump from the $900,000 he earned for the entire first installment. Honestly, it makes you wonder what fellow leading stars Tim Allen and Kat Dennings are pulling in for their roles. The show is literally about them, so if Scott is earning that much, it's safe to assume their paychecks are even more substantial.
Shifting Gears revolves around Allen's Matt Parker character, who finds himself unexpectedly playing the role of full-time grandparent when his estranged daughter moves back in with her two kids. Dennings portrays the role of Matt's daughter, Riley. The comedy sitcom will return this fall, with new episodes airing on Wednesdays at 8/7c on ABC.