William H Macy gives expert response to Shameless co-star Emmy Rossum's equal pay dispute

'It’s about f*cking time, don’t you think?' says the actor

It is clear Macey is behind Rossum, providing a simultaneously succinct and articulate analysis of the problem (Getty Images)

While equal pay is an issue which is routinely discussed and railed against by female actors in the hills of Hollywood, it is rarer for men to come out and brazenly castigate the gender pay gap. But William H Macey is one of the exceptions.

The actor, who is known for his roles in Shameless and Fargo, did not mince his words when asked for his opinion of the pay standoff his co-star Emmy Rossum is currently locked in.

Rossum, who has played a lead role in Shameless since it debuted in 2011, is reported to have been offered salary parity but sources said she is asking to be paid more per episode than Macy earns to make up for past seasons where she was making radically less than him. The dispute is said to be holding up a potential eighth season of the popular Showtime programme.

It is clear Macey is behind Rossum, providing a simultaneously succinct and articulate analysis of the problem. Cornered by a TMZ reporter, Macey was asked for his opinion of the matter.

“So your co-star Emmy Rossum is locked in a contract dispute with Warner Brothers demanding equal pay. I’m curious when do you think the studios are going to get with it and understand,” the reporter asks.

“They wrote the Equal Rights Amendment in 1927, it didn’t get passed by both houses of congress until 1972. It still hasn’t been approved by all the states," he replied.

“It’s about f*cking time, don’t you think?” Macy concludes.

After the reporter plays “devil’s advocate” and points out that while she is a big part of the show, he is a “Hollywood veteran”, Macy chips in, saying: "She works as hard as I do, she deserves everything”.

“The only thing I’ve got over Emmy Rossum is I’m better looking” he quips before politely waving goodbye to the camera.

A representative for Warner Brothers did not immediately respond to request for comment about the pay dispute but Warner Brothers and Showtime have declined to comment to other publications.