Tracee Ellis Ross Considering Working Less On ‘Blackish’ After Discovering Gender Pay Gap
Blackish star Tracee Ellis Ross is considering working less on the hit ABC show Blackish after discovering how much more co-star Anthony Anderson is making for the same amount of hours of work. The #Timesup movement, which has now evolved into talks, tweets and meetings with actresses to discuss the gender pay gap has spurred stars like Tracee Ellis Ross and her Blackish role to open up about just how much they make for their roles in television series and movie projects.
#Timesup Has Started A Conversation To Give Actresses Tools For Salary Negotiations
The Hollywood Reporter says now thanks to #TimesUp the taboo about talking money is slowly disappearing and women are “chipping away” at the custom which in the end only benefitted the studio system. Now, secrecy has gone away, and even big-named actresses including Tracee Ellis Ross from Blackish are talking money on social media. Right after the Golden Globes, Melissa Silverstein, founder of Women and Hollywood and director of the Athena Film Festival tweeted about the disparity between what Mark Wahlberg and Michelle Williams made from initial salary (Wahlberg’s initial payday was $5 million and Williams made $625k) and reshoots on All the Money in the World.
In response, Jessica Chastain tweeted what she had heard about the necessary reshoots caused by Kevin Spacey’s firing.
“I heard for the reshoot she got $80 a day compared to his MILLIONS. Would anyone like to clarify?”
Tracee Ellis Ross is reportedly considering devoting less time to "Blackish" if pay discrepancy between her salary and Anthony Anderson's isn't changed: https://t.co/1eYuDfgp2r pic.twitter.com/7OPtLXMNKp
— MadameNoire (@MadameNoire) January 18, 2018
Blackish Star Tracee Ellis Ross Is Willing To Work Less On Blackish If She’s Paid Less
It turns out Jessica Chastain was correct, and this topic opened up a new level of conversation, as well it should according to Silverstein, who says that the most important thing that can come from #Timesup is sharing information.
“For women in Hollywood, the system was created to isolate them from each other and to pit them against one another. Women are taking back the power by sharing the information in a way that has never been done before.”
If the Wahlberg-Williams pay discrepancy was the talk of the movie set, the difference in pay between Blackish stars Tracee Ellis Ross and Anthony Anderson. Negotiations have just started heading into Season 5 of Blackish, and Tracee Ellis Ross says she’s willing to spend less time on the set of Blackish if her salary doesn’t more closely resemble that of Anderson.
Sources are saying that Tracee Ellis Ross would shoot fewer episodes of Blackish in order to do guest spots on other shows in order to raise her annual salary. But a source for ABC and Blackish is saying that they will be playing ball with Tracee Ellis Ross.
“A new deal will significantly increase her compensation and cautioned that Anderson and Ellis Ross’ roles aren’t equal given that he has been attached to Blackish from the start and is an executive producer. “
It’s fair to say that without recent #Timesup conversations, Tracee Ellis Ross would not have had this kind of leverage with her Blackish salary.
#TimesUp meeting reveals Tracee Ellis Ross is getting paid “significantly less” than her #Blackish co-star Anthony Anderson: https://t.co/lE9ghnwXBO pic.twitter.com/dBvVw8kfcA
— The Root (@TheRoot) January 19, 2018
Tracee Ellis Ross’ Blackish Negotiations Will Be Historic For The #Timesup Movement
While it’s fair to say that Tracee Ellis Ross is not an executive producer on Blackish, she is not asking to be paid the same as Anthony Anderson, says Bustle, just an appropriate comparative salary. There is no denying that Tracee Ellis Ross contributes heavily to Blackish, and has been recognized for her efforts.
Both Tracee Ellis Ross and Anthony Anderson were recognized last year with Golden Globes nominations for Blackish, and ultimately, Tracee Ellis Ross won the Golden Globes Best Actress in a Television Series Musical or Comedy for her role as Rainbow Johnson on Blackish.
In her acceptance speech, Tracee Ellis Ross spoke out to and for women in general.
“This is for all the women, women of color and colorful people whose stories, ideas, thoughts are not always considered worthy and valid and important. But I want you to know that I see you. We see you.”
