Octuplets mom signs $250,000 reality TV deal
Last Updated: Monday, July 27, 2009 | 3:24 PM ET
CBC News
Nadya Suleman, seen in an interview with NBC in February, has agreed for all 14 of her children to be filmed for a reality TV series. A California court must first approve the contracts. (Paul Drinkwater/NBC/Associated Press) The American woman who gave birth to the world's longest-surviving set of octuplets has signed a $250,000 US deal for all 14 of her children to appear on a reality TV show, according to court documents filed in Los Angeles.
Nadya Suleman has agreed for her children to appear — for about $250 US a day, per child — in an upcoming show filmed by Netherlands-based production company Eyeworks, which counts the shows The Biggest Loser and Breaking Bonaduce among its television offerings.
Shooting is scheduled to begin Sept. 1.
The contracts were filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court on Friday and require a judge's approval.
The deal proposes for the children to participate in 36 days of shooting for the first year, 21 days in the second year and 14 days in the third year for a total of approximately $250,000 earned collectively over three years.
As required by California law, 15 per cent of the children's income will be placed in a trust fund available to them when they reach age 18.
TV deal announced in June
Child actor advocates are among those who have expressed concern about Suleman's children.
Paul Petersen, head of a non-profit child actors support group called A Minor Consideration and a former Disney Mouseketeer, has filed a petition asking a California court to appoint a guardian to oversee the children's estate so that state labour laws are followed and the money the children earn is safe.
Suleman's lawyer Jeff Czech first announced in June that the Southern Californian mother had signed a deal with Eyeworks.
He said at the time that instead of following the family on a daily basis, film crews would be "less intrusive" by only documenting certain milestones, such as birthdays or special events. The proposed project was to follow the six boys and two girls Suleman gave birth to on Jan. 26.
Suleman, dubbed Octomom by the media, has six other children. All 14 offspring were conceived through in-vitro fertilization.
With files from The Associated PressShare Tools
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