The future of "Shameless" is looking dark. Star Emmy Rossum is seeking a new deal with Warner Bros. and Showtime for a higher pay, a move that will put the show's standing at risk if it doesn't end well.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Rossum is currently negotiating her contract with the involved parties for the show's yet to be renewed eight season. The site said that the actress wants to be paid equally with co-star William H. Macy. She also demands that she should be paid more in each episode than Macy after being paid less in previous installments.
Warner Bros. and Showtime declined to give a comment, the site reports.
Insiders say that if Rossum closes her deal, Warner Bros. will have to sit down with other "Shameless" co-stars including Jeremy Allen White, Cameron Monaghan and Steve Howey. But if she can't finalize a deal, Shameless might be cancelled for good. Another option in sight is that the show may still continue, but she will no longer be part of it.
Actors who seek for salary increases while working on a hit TV show is not uncommon in Hollywood. Shows like "Grey's Anatomy," "Modern Family" and "The Big Bang Theory" have become solid performers on their respective TV networks, that the cast members continuously ink new deals and get whopping salary increases.
This year, Forbes reported that "Modern Family" star Sofia Vergara and "Big Bang Theory" star Jim Parsons topped the list with a yearly income of $43 million and $24.5 million, respectively.
In the case of "Shameless," everything is still up in the air at this point. Rossum's portrayal as the Gallagher matriarch, Fiona, is a performance worthy of an award. She also made her directorial debut in episode four this season. While it's clear that she has dedicated so much of her career in this show, the future of "Shameless" is still on the hands of WB and Showtime.
"Shameless" will conclude its current seventh season on Sunday, Dec. 18 with the finale titled "Requiem for a Slut."