When an actor dies, who gets their residuals? For example, every time the movie “Animal House” is aired on TV, who gets John Bellushi’s money? Is it split evenly among those recieving a residual from the project, does one person or entity start gobbling up the money, or does the residual cease to exist? Is it cheaper for a company to air a movie with all dead actors? What up?
IANAL, but I assume that all residuals (or any other payment) must be made for as long as the contract calls for, whether the actor in question is dead or alive. If the actor is dead, then it goes to their estate.
So in your example, the person(s) who inherited John’s estate get any payments, broken up between them in whatever fashion his will calls for.
Ugly
Most all performers of any note set themselves up as corporations for tax purposes. The payments are made to the corporation FSO (For Services Of) the performer. So, yes indeed an actor can be long deceased and residual payments will still be collected by the corporation. And the corporation may continue to exist as a viable business entity. Think licensensing of the actors image, etc.
wring’s reply from the duplicate thread: