Emmy Rossum Says Equal Pay Battle on Shameless Was Resolved After Going Public

Emmy Rossum has spoken about her fight for equal pay while starring in Shameless. Speaking on the Call Her Daddy podcast, she said she was surprised when news of her salary negotiations with Showtime became public in 2016.

Rossum said she never expected the private discussions to make headlines. At the time, she and the network were reportedly at a standstill over her request to be paid the same as co-star William H. Macy.

She explained that public support quickly changed the situation. Many people questioned why she was not already earning equal pay, and the issue was resolved within a day.

Rossum said it made sense that Macy earned more when the show began because he was the bigger star. However, as her character Fiona Gallagher became a co-lead, she believed she deserved equal pay for equal work. Earlier requests for a raise had been rejected.

Rossum said the fight was never about money alone but about fairness and being valued equally. She added that she was happy the outcome may have helped other women in the industry.

After winning her equal pay deal, Rossum stayed on Shameless for two more seasons before leaving at the end of season nine. She said Fiona would always be a part of her and thanked the cast and crew for the years they spent working together.