Plenty of our favorite actresses have recently stepped up to fight for their right to equal pay, including Jennifer Lawrence and Emma Watson. Now Emmy Rossum, star of Showtime’s longtime hit Shameless, is asking to be paid more for her starring role as Fiona Gallagher, reports Cosmpolitan.
You’d think that being one of the lead stars on a valuable show in the network’s lineup would be convincing enough for a pay raise, but according to The Hollywood Reporter, Rossum asking for more money is delaying the renewal of the show for an eighth season.
Rossum is attempting to get both salary parity and a potential per-episode increase, which would make up for her being paid less than costar William H. Macy throughout Shameless’s run. Apparently, if she can’t finalize a deal with Showtime, Rossum could either be written out of the show or the network could cancel the series. Both she and Macy have earned several nominations for their work on the show, and Rossum also made her directorial debut on the show’s previous season.
By fighting for equal pay, Rossum is following in the footsteps of House of Cards’ Robin Wright. Wright claimed that her role and Kevin Spacey’s were equal on the show, a point that Rossum can definitely use to her advantage, too.
We’re hoping for the best in Rossum’s case and that the solution is one of equality!