Emmy Rossum Is Fighting for Equal Pay on 'Shameless'

Emmy Rossum is reportedly renegotiating her salary on Shameless, holding up production on the eighth season of one of the most popular cable dramas still on television. 

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Rossum earned less than her costar William H. Macy for years, so she's fighting to earn more to make up for the deficit.  Salaries are based primarily on star value.  When the series premiered, Macy was an old Hollywood hand with an Oscar nomination for Fargo, while Rossum was relatively unknown.  She was also a woman, which didn't help.  Macy scored three Emmy nominations for his role as Frank on Shameless, but in the seven years on air, Rossum broke out as the real star.  While Frank is a roving disaster, flitting through the show's plotlines without ever really settling, Rossum's character Fiona anchors the show, just as she anchors the family. 

Before Rossum, Robin Wright most notably demanded equal pay for her starring role on House of Cards, which she won.  If Rossum doesn't come to a settlement with Showtime, Shameless would be a far shittier show without her.  Macy's character could die-he almost has multiple times-and the show would go on.  Just saying.