Emmy Rossum is looking back at the Shameless salary dispute that became public nearly a decade ago, saying she never expected a private negotiation with Showtime to turn into a public equal-pay flashpoint.
Entertainment Weekly reported that Rossum discussed the experience on the July 8 episode of Call Her Daddy.
The actress said she was on a writer’s retreat when she opened Twitter and saw headlines about her contract standoff with the network.
Rossum Said the Leak Caught Her Off Guard
Rossum told Alex Cooper that she was “shook” when the negotiation became public. She said the matter was supposed to be a private business conversation, and she did not want it to affect other people connected to the show.
Just Jared reported that Rossum said it is always scary to ask for what someone believes they are worth, especially when the request means taking up space in a room.
The Dispute Centered on Pay Parity With William H. Macy
Rossum starred as Fiona Gallagher, the eldest Gallagher sibling, while William H. Macy played Frank Gallagher, the family patriarch.
Rossum said she understood why Macy earned far more money at the beginning of the show, given his longer résumé and higher profile when Shameless launched.
Her view changed as the series continued and Fiona became, at minimum, a co-lead of the Showtime drama. Rossum said she first asked for a raise around Season 3, but that request was denied. By the Season 8 negotiations, she was seeking equal pay for equal work.
Entertainment Weekly reported that she was surprised by how many people publicly questioned why she was not already being paid the same amount as Macy. Rossum said the deal came together within a day, leaving her shocked that the public conversation appeared to help move the issue forward.
The Fight Became Part of a Larger Hollywood Conversation
Rossum framed the dispute as a question of being valued equally while doing equal work. She said her focus was not simply money, but fairness and being paid for labor.
The dispute first became public in 2016. At the time, Rossum’s push for equal pay was discussed alongside broader Hollywood conversations about gender pay gaps and women asking for compensation that matched their work.
William H. Macy publicly supported Rossum during the original dispute, saying she worked as hard as he did and deserved equal pay.
Rossum Stayed Through Season 9
Rossum stayed on Shameless through Season 9 before leaving the show, which continued through Season 11.
In a separate part of the Call Her Daddy interview, she pushed back on the idea that she left the series to start a family. Rossum said she left because she was ready to develop her own projects, including Angelyne, after years of playing Fiona.
Looking back, she said she was grateful not only to get the deal, but also for what the moment appeared to do for other women asking for fair compensation in their own workplaces.