Tracee Ellis Ross On 'Black-ish' Pay Disparity: I Want Compensation That Matches My Contribution

The actress said a report that she threatened to appear in fewer episodes was wrong.
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Tracee Ellis Ross is speaking out about leaked reports that indicated her “Black-ish” co-star Anthony Anderson, who’s also the show’s executive producer, had a significantly higher salary than her.

Ross, who plays Bow on the hit ABC show, responded to a Hollywood Reporter article that claimed she said she would appear in fewer episodes if she wasn’t brought up to Anderson’s level.

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Jeff Kravitz via Getty Images

The actress tweeted on Saturday that she never made that threat and that she just wants fair pay for her work.

“There has been a lot of conversation and speculation the last few days regarding my blackish salary. I was in a renegotiation, like many actors find themselves in during the fourth season of a successful show,” she wrote. “I wanted to be compensated in a way that matches my contribution to a show that I love for many reasons, including the opportunity it allows me to reshape what it is to be a fully realized black woman on TV.” 

Ross said that the comments in The Hollywood Reporter article weren’t hers. She said it was “awkward” that her renegotiation was made public, but that she’s appreciative of the support she received. 

The Golden Globe winner continued, “I’m truly thankful that important conversations are taking place about fighting for women’s worth and equality, and tightening the pay gap in every industry.” 

Correction: A previous version of this story inaccurately spelled Ross’ character’s name as “Beau.” The correct spelling is “Bow.”

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Tracee Ellis Ross Photos
8th Annual Television Academy Honors - Arrivals(01 of32)
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IMAGE DISTRIBUTED FOR THE TELEVISION ACADEMY - Tracee Ellis Ross arrives at the 8th annual Television Academy Honors at the Montage hotel on Wednesday, May 27, 2015, in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Phil McCarten/Invision for the Television Academy/AP Images) (credit:Invision for the Television Academy)
2015 Television Academy Honors(02 of32)
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Tracee Ellis Ross arrives at the 2015 Television Academy Honors at The Montage Hotel on Wednesday, May 27, 2015, in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Rich FuryInvision/AP) (credit:Rich Fury/Invision/AP)
8th Annual Television Academy Honors - Reception(03 of32)
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Television Academy President and COO Maury McIntyre, from left, Tracee Ellis Ross, Kenya Barris and Marcus Scribner attend the 8th annual Television Academy Honors at the Montage hotel on Wednesday, May 27, 2015, in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision for the Television Academy/AP Images) (credit:Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
2015 Television Academy Honors(04 of32)
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Tracee Ellis Ross arrives at the 2015 Television Academy Honors at The Montage Hotel on Wednesday, May 27, 2015, in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Rich FuryInvision/AP) (credit:Rich Fury/Invision/AP)
2015 Television Academy Honors(05 of32)
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Tracee Ellis Ross arrives at the 2015 Television Academy Honors at The Montage Hotel on Wednesday, May 27, 2015, in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Rich FuryInvision/AP) (credit:Rich Fury/Invision/AP)
8th Annual Television Academy Honors - Reception(06 of32)
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Marcus Scribner, left, and Tracee Ellis Ross attend the 8th annual Television Academy Honors at the Montage hotel on Wednesday, May 27, 2015, in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision for the Television Academy/AP Images) (credit:Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
40th Anniversary Gracies Awards - Show(07 of32)
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Tracee Ellis Ross speaks at the 40th Anniversary Gracies Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Tuesday, May 19, 2015, in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP) (credit:Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
40th Anniversary Gracies Awards - Show(08 of32)
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Tracee Ellis Ross, right, presents the lifetime achievement award to Cicely Tyson at the 40th Anniversary Gracies Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Tuesday, May 19, 2015, in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP) (credit:Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
40th Anniversary Gracies Awards - Arrivals(09 of32)
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Tracee Ellis Ross arrives at the 40th Anniversary Gracies Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Tuesday, May 19, 2015, in Beverly Hills, Calif. The event supports the AWMF's many educational programs, charitable activities, public service and scholarship campaigns that benefit women in media. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP) (credit:Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
40th Anniversary Gracies Awards - Arrivals(10 of32)
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Tracee Ellis Ross arrives at the 40th Anniversary Gracies Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Tuesday, May 19, 2015, in Beverly Hills, Calif. The event supports the AWMF's many educational programs, charitable activities, public service and scholarship campaigns that benefit women in media. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP) (credit:Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
40th Anniversary Gracies Awards - Inside(11 of32)
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BEVERLY HILLS, CA - MAY 19: Actress Tracee Ellis Ross hosts the 40th Anniversary Gracies Awards at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on May 19, 2015 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Michael Buckner/Getty Images) (credit:Michael Buckner via Getty Images)
40th Anniversary Gracies Awards - Inside(12 of32)
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BEVERLY HILLS, CA - MAY 19: Actress Tracee Ellis Ross hosts the 40th Anniversary Gracies Awards at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on May 19, 2015 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Michael Buckner/Getty Images) (credit:Michael Buckner via Getty Images)
2015 Billboard Music Awards - Arrivals(13 of32)
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LAS VEGAS, NV - MAY 17: Actress Tracee Ellis Ross attends the 2015 Billboard Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 17, 2015 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images) (credit:Jason Merritt via Getty Images)
2015 Billboard Music Awards - Show(14 of32)
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LAS VEGAS, NV - MAY 17: Actresses Tracee Ellis Ross (L) and Laverne Cox present an award onstage during the 2015 Billboard Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 17, 2015 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) (credit:Ethan Miller via Getty Images)
2015 Billboard Music Awards - Arrivals(15 of32)
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LAS VEGAS, NV - MAY 17: Actress Tracee Ellis Ross attends the 2015 Billboard Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 17, 2015 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images) (credit:Jason Merritt via Getty Images)
2015 ABC Upfront(16 of32)
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NEW YORK, NY - MAY 12: Actress Tracee Ellis Ross (L) and Anthony Anderson attend the 2015 ABC Upfront at Avery Fisher Hall, Lincoln Center on May 12, 2015 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images) (credit:Jamie McCarthy via Getty Images)
2015 ABC Upfront(17 of32)
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NEW YORK, NY - MAY 12: Actress Tracee Ellis Ross attends the 2015 ABC Upfront at Avery Fisher Hall, Lincoln Center on May 12, 2015 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images) (credit:Jamie McCarthy via Getty Images)
The Paley Center For Media Hosts A Tribute To African-American Achievements In Television(18 of32)
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NEW YORK, NY - MAY 13: Actress Tracee Ellis Ross attends A Tribute To African-American Achievements In Television hosted by The Paley Center For Media at Cipriani Wall Street on May 13, 2015 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images) (credit:Mike Coppola via Getty Images)
Yahoo News/ABC News White House Correspondents' Dinner Reception Pre-Party(19 of32)
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WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 25: Tracee Ellis Ross attends the Yahoo News/ABC News White House Correspondents' dinner reception pre-party at the Washington Hilton on Saturday, April 25, 2015 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Yahoo) (credit:Dimitrios Kambouris via Getty Images)
US-ENTERTAINMENT-POLITICS-MEDIA-WHCA(20 of32)
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Actress Tracee Ellis Ross arrives at White House Correspondents' Association (WHCA) annual dinner in Washington, DC, on April 25, 2015. AFP PHOTO/NICHOLAS KAMM (Photo credit should read NICHOLAS KAMM/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:NICHOLAS KAMM via Getty Images)
LA Screening of "Just Before I Go" - Red Carpet(21 of32)
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Ashlee Simpson, left, and Tracee Ellis Ross attend the LA Screening of "Just Before I Go" at ArcLight Hollywood on Monday, April 20, 2015 in Los Angeles. (Photo by John Salangsang/Invision/AP) (credit:John Salangsang/Invision/AP)
LA Screening of "Just Before I Go" - Red Carpet(22 of32)
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Tracee Ellis Ross attends the LA Screening of "Just Before I Go" at ArcLight Hollywood on Monday, April 20, 2015 in Los Angeles. (Photo by John Salangsang/Invision/AP) (credit:John Salangsang/Invision/AP)
LA Screening of "Just Before I Go" - Red Carpet(23 of32)
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Tracee Ellis Ross attends the LA Screening of "Just Before I Go" at ArcLight Hollywood on Monday, April 20, 2015 in Los Angeles. (Photo by John Salangsang/Invision/AP) (credit:John Salangsang/Invision/AP)
LA Screening of "Just Before I Go" - Red Carpet(24 of32)
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Tracee Ellis Ross attends the LA Screening of "Just Before I Go" at ArcLight Hollywood on Monday, April 20, 2015 in Los Angeles. (Photo by John Salangsang/Invision/AP) (credit:John Salangsang/Invision/AP)
Black Girls Rock Obama(25 of32)
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Hosts Regina King, left, and Tracee Ellis Ross speak during a taping of the Black Girls Rock award ceremony at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center, Saturday, March 28, 2015, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Black Girls Rock Obama(26 of32)
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Host Tracee Ellis Ross poses for photographers during the red carpet ahead of the Black Girls Rock award ceremony at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center, Saturday, March 28, 2015, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
8th Annual Essence Black Women In Hollywood Luncheon(27 of32)
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Tracee Ellis Ross arrives at the 8th Annual Essence Black Women In Hollywood Luncheon held at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel on Thursday, Feb. 19, 2015, in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP) (credit:Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)
The 46th NAACP Image Awards - Press Room(28 of32)
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Anthony Anderson, from left, Marcus Scribner, Marsai Martin, Yara Shahidi, Miles Brown, and Tracee Ellis Ross pose in the press room with the award for outstanding comedy series for "Black-ish" at the 46th NAACP Image Awards at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium on Friday, Feb. 6, 2015, in Pasadena, Calif. (Photo by Arnold Turner/Invision/AP) (credit:Arnold Turner/Invision/AP)
The 46th NAACP Image Awards - Press Room(29 of32)
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Deon Cole, from left, Anthony Anderson, Marsai Martin, Marcus Scribner, Yara Shahidi, Miles Brown, Tracee Ellis Ross, and Kenya Barris pose in the press room with the award for outstanding comedy series for "Black-ish" at the 46th NAACP Image Awards at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium on Friday, Feb. 6, 2015, in Pasadena, Calif. (Photo by Arnold Turner/Invision/AP) (credit:Arnold Turner/Invision/AP)
The 46th NAACP Image Awards - Press Room(30 of32)
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Anthony Anderson, left, and Tracee Ellis Ross pose in the press room with the award for outstanding comedy series for "Black-ish" at the 46th NAACP Image Awards at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium on Friday, Feb. 6, 2015, in Pasadena, Calif. (Photo by Arnold Turner/Invision/AP) (credit:Arnold Turner/Invision/AP)
The 46th NAACP Image Awards - Show(31 of32)
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Uzo Aduba, left, and Tracee Ellis Ross present the award for outstanding actor in a comedy series on stage at the 46th NAACP Image Awards at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium on Friday, Feb. 6, 2015, in Pasadena, Calif. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP) (credit:Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
The 46th NAACP Image Awards - Show(32 of32)
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Uzo Aduba, left, and Tracee Ellis Ross present the award for outstanding actor in a comedy series on stage at the 46th NAACP Image Awards at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium on Friday, Feb. 6, 2015, in Pasadena, Calif. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP) (credit:Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)