Also, I found this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talent_holding_deal -Submitted by Soile Interestingly, Jessica Steen was under this type of “contract” when the Stargate: Atlantis series was in the pre-production phase. Steen had already protrayed Dr. Elizabeth Weir in the Stargate: SG1 episodes and the producers were ostensibly going to continue with her in the role, but later chose to cast Torri Higginson as Dr. Weir for Atlantis, instead. So even though Steen was paid to not take on any new work in anticipation of the new series, it was all for naught, since she didn’t end up continuing in that role. (Which must have really sucked for her, but whatever. The debate still goes on to this day about why the producers ultimately chose Higginson over Steen, but we won’t get into that here.)