Spoilers for older episodes of Shameless follow
I’ve watched every episode of Shameless up until episode four of this current season, seven. I finished on episode three, “Home Sweet Homeless Shelter,” when Frank crafted a surrogate family and named them after his own kids. It seems like it’s very uneven lately, but I might try it again again some point. Emmy Rossum’s character, Fiona, is the star with her siblings and neighbors also integral to the plot. Her drunk rabble-rousing dad, Frank Gallagher (William H Macy) shows up to eff things up even worse than they already are. Frank is fun to watch, but he almost died last season, everyone wanted him dead, and I would imagine the audience is just as indifferent to him. I know I would still watch if Frank was gone. That’s all a lead-up to this story that Rossum is holding up a renewal of the show by demanding equal pay with Macy. In fact The Hollywood Reporter states that she wants higher pay, since the show could not go on without Fiona and she’s been paid less than Macy for so long. It’s unclear if producers will try for an eighth season if talks fail with Rossum.
Shameless actress Emmy Rossum is locked in a pay standoff that is holding up a possible eighth season of the popular Showtime dramedy.
Rossum, 30, who stars as the young Gallagher family matriarch Fiona on the hit series, not only is seeking salary parity with co-star William H. Macy, multiple sources tell The Hollywood Reporter she is taking the position she should be paid more per-episode than Macy makes after years of earning much less than her Emmy-nominated co-star.
Macy, 66, who stars as drug and alcohol addict Frank Gallagher, recently renegotiated his deal with producer Warner Bros. Television for the yet-to-be announced eighth season and scored a raise that sources say puts his salary in the upper echelon of cable dramas. Now Rossum is seeking a similar deal — and to make more than Macy. The cast’s last renegotiation a few years ago gave raises to all the main members of the ensemble. But Macy, who came into Shameless with an extensive film resume and an Oscar nomination for his role in Fargo, always has been paid more than the rest of the cast.
Warner Bros. TV and Showtime declined comment.
Good for her and I wonder who leaked this to THR. It may be her people, in order to show how many of us support Rossum and wouldn’t watch Shameless without her. If they do meet her requirements and an eighth season happens I’ll give it another chance, but they may need to pay their writers more and/or take a different tactic with the storylines. I just don’t like where they’ve been going with it this season. Also, what would it take to bring Joan Cusack back? She was the best.
In other news, Rossum recently revealed that Caroline Herrera will be designing her wedding dress. Lucky b. She’s set to marry Mr Robot creator Sam Esmail at some point, I can’t find a wedding date and there were rumors that they were secretly married this summer, but Rossum denied that. It wouldn’t be out of the question – Rossum was married to a music executive named Justin Siegel from 2008 to 2010 and almost no one heard about it until they split up. She’s somewhat of a serial monogamist and has also dated Adam Duritz, Topher Grace and her costar from Shameless, Tyler Jacob Moore. Look forward to seeing her wedding pics!
photos credit: WENN and Showtime
I was reading about this the other day, I think they have already agreed to match her salary to Macy’s, but she’s holding out for backpay, essentially.
I get him being paid more in the beginning, but her character really is the lead of the show now, and she should be compensated accordingly.
I don’t watch the show, but I agree. I see why they would pay him more in the beginning because he had the name recognition to pull people into the show. But after maybe season 3, when the show was established and people were already hooked, that balance should have changed.
She carries the show, and I’ve always been impressed with her Fiona. I’ll miss it if it ends! It is a bit uneven, as you say, but that’s the Gallaghers! Kev and V forever! http://giphy.com/gifs/shameless-bless-steve-howey-hXqoR7VOeR01a
The show could not survive without her. Fiona is the heart of Shameless and isn’t everyone pretty indifferent to Frank at this point? I’d rather see other characters get more screen time then Frank. (This is not a dig on Macy btw, love him).
Good for her.
I started watching this show about a year ago and can clearly see that Fiona is the main character and heart of the show. The show can (and should) go on without Frank, but Fiona keeps that pathetic family together- whether she wants to or not. Debbie is the worst.
I could watch a spin-off of V-Svetlana-whatshisface from Reba all day.
Debbie is totally the worst! She used to be so sweet!
IKR. I had high hopes for her because she was smart, caring, and somewhat less self-absorbed than her older siblings but last season and this season has really turned me off of her.
She is selfish, delusional, opportunistic, and a bully. She is still smart as she passed her GED in one day, but she is squandering all of her potential like Lip.
I am praying that Liam makes it since Frank got him into that hipster school.
I hope she gets it, she’s a much more integral part of the show which I have watched faithfully since day one. I still have the hots for Steve!
I don’t watch it, but I will start. Get ya money lady. Woo hoo . Yall can’t see it but I’m swinging my bra around like a helicopter!
That’s a really funny image. 🙂
I don’t watch the show but after all of this time Emmy should get at least equal to or more than Macy. He was the bigger star when it started but sounds like she surpassed him.
On the show, yes. But still in general, William H Macy >>> Emmy Rossum any day.
On a shallow note- she is a lovely woman-just stunning. I get wanting a “bump” for all the past seasons, bec this show won’t go on much longer. Not a fan of the show, but the few times I watched, always surprised she never got an Emmy nom. Hope they pony up, but doubt it.
I agree that’s she’s beautiful. She reminds me a lot of Angelina Jolie. But I don’t like the show, it feels too contrived to me.
One of my favorite shows. We’be been watching from the beginning. She also also has a great trained voice.
She should get it. She’s been carrying the show for ages. I get why Macy was paid more in the beginning (not that much more though) because he’s the built in name draw and it was more balanced. That should have shifted somewhere around 3-4 when Emmy took on the more leading role
The original Shameless went on for 9 seasons after Fiona left. Her character is definitely replaceable. They could have Fiona go start a new life, have her OD, have her sent to jail for a long time for another screw up with the kids. Have Lip step in, or have the cycle start over with Debbie. Honestly the show could use some new angles at this point.
Anyway, I think she deserves equal pay, but not back-pay. When she started the show she’d only ever been in flops, and while her character is the lead, she’s never been the reason viewers tune in. Frank, Lip, Ian and Mickey, Kev and Veronica, even Debbie and Carl are all talked about way more than Fiona. She had her chance to negotiate those years of work, and at the time she didn’t bring much to the table. Just because she’s now more valuable doesn’t mean she was back then.
I think the UK Shameless and US Shameless have become so different at this point it is not comparable. US Shameless would absolutely collapse without Fiona, there is no other character to tether this show.
She maybe does not deserve backpay for Season 1 but she has absolutely been the heart and soul for this show, if you take in casual audiences and not like Tumble fans who are obsessed with every character. I would rather say Macy’s is probably the most unpopular character in terms of just how unlikeable and flat his entire run has been
Yeah, what CornyBlue said. The US show is built around Fiona.
The first two seasons of Shameless were built around Fiona too, even more so than the US version, but it moved on naturally without her.
At this point her character doesn’t have much to offer. She can date yet another idiot or break yet another good guys heart, she can screw up another job, try something else and fail again…she’s been in a holding pattern the entire show, more so than even Frank. I really thought when she went to jail the dynamics would change but they skipped over that and were back to normal after a few episodes.
I cannot believe this girl pulls so much weight on this show and has never had a sniff of an awards nomination. Her, and the actors who play Lip and Mickey are all absolutely excellent and it blows my mind they keep nominating Macy as the token from this show.
Anyway get money girl! I read the initial report and they were quick to point out how her asking for more money affects the entire cast but they went and raised Macy’s pay no question. Trash all of them .
I totally agree! Frank has become such a useless character at this point. There was a time he served a purpose, but I personally feel like they should’ve killed him off in season 4 with that whole liver transplant storyline.
Exactly! I completely agree. Sure, put it on her that if she holds off for a raise she’s putting the show and other cast at risk of being cancelled, but not Macy getting his. It’s amazing how quick they’re trying to spin this story.
And the awards! Why hasn’t this girl been nominated? I can’t believe it. Year after year of amazing performances from her and other cast members. I loved Joan Cusack, too.
TEAM FIONA!! She is the central figure of Shameless. Go get that equal pay, Emmy!
She deserves every single penny. Emmy has been sorely underrated for years now and has really carried the show. She is a phenomenal actress and it’s wrong that she’s had to play second fiddle to William H. Macy simply because of who he is because frankly, his character doesn’t even bring anything to the show anymore.
Pay.Her. And good for her for standing up to them.
Good for her. Get the money, Emmy!
I wrote on the other post yesterday about golden globe s that I’m sad to see Shameless was missing. Good show, although it has had some rough episodes that you have to hate watch. Good job Emmy, you deserve equal pay. Show would be nothing without her. Lip is also a great character. Glad to see Sammy and her kid gone- they were so annoying. I don’t miss Joan Cussack.
I tried to watch Shameless and it took 3 times and my daughter telling me that the kids were the best part of the show so it finally stuck. I binged watched 3 seasons and Fiona is the star of the show she should be getting equal pay top salary. She is wonderful on this .
This show should have either ended seasons ago or killed of Frank a loooong time ago. He’s a huge reason why I gave up on watching the show. Just so messy and annoying.
This is one of my favorite shows! I’m surprised this hasn’t come up before…she’s the lead. The whole family’s story revolves around her. I hope she gets it.
Macy was the “star” of the show to begin with despite the fact that Emmy’s part is clearly the central role. Good for her for demanding equal pay, though the back pay is an interesting gambit.
not to nitpick, but she demands EQUITY? or EQUALITY?
Equity works too – as defined by Merrill-Webster:
a : justice according to natural law or right; specifically : freedom from bias or favoritism
b : something that is equitable
Equity makes sense..
I always fast forwarded through all of Frank’s parts and only waych bc of her. WHM wouldnt have kept the show on foe this long alone. I understand he’s a seasoned vet, but he’s not a lead character Fiona is. Things would be jut fine without Frank. So they’re wasting their money on WHM..cant tell u what his storyline was at all these past seasons…he did almost die…i remember that
Behold! I found Something I can Like about Emmy Rossum besides her man! It’s a New day #GetYaMoneyBooBoo
Shameless is one of my favorite tv shows. Emmy, William H., and the actor playing Lip are incredible.
BUT I disagree that Emmy should be paid more than William H. Macy. Emmy is the lead character but William H. is a bigger name & has earned the show 3 Emmy noms and 1 Golden Globe nom. I believe they should be paid equally.
I’ve been watching since the beginning and while the show is awesome, I wouldn’t have kept watching if it weren’t for Emmy/Fiona. They better give this girl that raise, because there is no Shameless without her. I thought I would lose interest after Jimmy/Steve left and that romance ended, but I keep getting suckered in, and it’s all because of how Fiona manages to keep going.
Love Macy as Frank, and I’m glad so far nothing has killed him because he’s a huge source of entertainment. But he’s not the show. He might have gotten paid the most because of his resume initially, but it’s Emmy that makes the show and brings the most to the Shameless table.
You should really keep watching. This season is amazing! It always amazes me that they cans till come up with engaging story lines for all the characters. Some of the best writing on TV I think and really deserves some more awards love.
Watched few seasons. She is the main attraction and the key stone of the narrative. She totally deserves an equal pay and some back-pay as well.
Love Em and Shameless but her aunt is Vera Wang. Why wouldn’t Vera do her wedding dress?