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CBS has tried to defend the controversial departures of Daniel Dae Kim and Grace Park from hit police drama Hawaii Five-0, saying that it had offered the actors "significant salary increases".
Kim and Park will not be returning for season eight after contract negotiations were unsuccessful.
Variety reported that the two Asian-American stars were seeking pay equality with their white male co-stars Alex O'Loughlin and Scott Caan, and that the final offer was between 10% and 15% lower than what O'Loughlin and Caan were earning.
In addition to the salary disparity, O'Loughlin and Caan have bonus back-end deals.
Kim posted a message to his fans on Wednesday saying that it was an honour to have been part of the show and that "the path to equality is rarely easy". And now, CBS has had its say.
"Daniel and Grace have been important and valued members of Hawaii Five-0 for seven seasons," the network said in a statement. "We did not want to lose them and tried very hard to keep them with offers for large and significant salary increases.
"While we could not reach an agreement, we part ways with tremendous respect for their talents on screen, as well as their roles as ambassadors for the show off screen, and with hopes to work with them again in the near future."
That CBS says it offered "large and significant salary increases" stands out given reports of a pay dispute – and all this despite Kim, Park, O'Loughlin and Caan appearing together on the show as an ensemble since the very first episode seven years ago.
And let's remember that when the drama launched in 2010, Kim and Park were arguably bigger names than O'Loughlin and Caan. Kim had just finished playing Jin on mystery drama Lost and Park portrayed Sharon Valerii and Sharon Agathon on Battlestar Galactica.
Their departures – as well as supporting actor Masi Oka's exit halfway through season seven – mean that there is currently no Asian-American actor among the main cast.
On a show that is set in Hawaii.
Since the news, Kim and Park have had support from their fellow actors including Fresh Off the Boat star and activist Constance Wu, and Kim's former Lost co-star Rebecca Mader.
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