Cash of the Titans
Stars Toast Big Buck$
Globe/Kim Humphreys (December 5, 2000)

BINGO! Stars of TV's new prime-time soap Titans feel like they've hit the lottery, show insiders reveal, because their boss Aaron Spelling has been incredibly generous.

"They're the happiest group of actors in Tinseltown," the source declares. "They believe they've died and gone to heaven."

"Many of them have worked with Spelling before and he's rewarded them with terrific contracts. He's betting on the show being a big hit, eventually, and he's risking big bucks for the stars."

Casper Van Dien, who plays Chandler Williams, and Yasmine Bleeth, his former lover and now bitchy stepmother Heather, are on top of the salary tree, raking in $80,000 an episode.

"That's whopping dough for this kind of drama and a first-year show," says the source.

But the insiders agree that the two top stars are worth it - because their scorching on-screen chemistry drives the drama.

"Yasmine really puts her heart into the role," notes a source. "You can almost see the smoke coming out of her ears as she revs up to trash somebody else's reputation."

Lovely vixen Yasmine herself points out: "We all have a little bitch in us. My inspiration is every woman who's ever gotten hurt by a guy."

Ex-Dallas beauty Victoria Principal, as Casper's real TV mom, earns $60,000 a week and Josie Davis, as venomous club owner Laurie Williams, and Elizabeth Bogush as her lushy sister Jenny, get $20,000 a show each.

"They're overjoyed to be riding the gravy train," add the source. "They know that as the show builds its audience they'll do better and better."

"It's the dream of just about every actor in Hollywood - to land a regular role on a show like this."

Other actors on the show are also doing extremely well in the wage war and they're starting to spend their dough.

John Barrowman, who's the evil son Peter Williams, has already plunked down $400,000 on a West Hollywood penthouse, which has 18-foot ceilings in the living room, a loft and magnificent views of the city.

On screen, the actors play out story lines of lust, greed and vicious backstabbing. But once they wash off the greasepaint, they are all buddies, says the source.

"They like to celebrate their good luck in getting on the show," confides the insider. "And they regularly drink a champagne toast to Aaron Spelling!"