Tia Mowry on Sister, Sister pay: It was so hard to get what we felt we deserved

Tia Mowry has said the salary that she and her twin were paid for their show Sister, Sister “never equalled our counterparts that weren’t of diversity”.

The actress starred opposite her sister Tamera in the hit 1990s sitcom about twins who were separated at birth and adopted by different parents before they have a chance encounter and their families move in together.

Discussing her experiences of being a black child star on her web series, Tia Mowry’s Quick Fix, she said: “It was very evident to me when I would walk on sets and see how certain stars or actors would be treated who weren’t of ethnicity – better dressing room, better trailer.

Growing up in Hollywood as a Black child actor… Yep, I have some stories to tell. https://t.co/CqzbcdOOyn @tiaquickfix #tiamowrysquickfix #childactor pic.twitter.com/wr6sC5E5h0

— Tia Mowry (@TiaMowry) November 6, 2020

“Now I’m more aware what that was, which is a budget, but back then I didn’t know what a budget was.

“It was so clear how you would see one show that didn’t have a diverse cast that just had a bigger budget so everything just seemed bigger and better.

“But when it came to my projects and what I was doing, you actually really visually saw the ‘less-than’.”

She said she believed this also applied to her pay on Sister, Sister and said: “I remember once the show became a hit, it’s very normal for you to ask for a raise. That’s what happens, right? People get raises.

“But it was always so hard for my sister and I to get what we felt like we deserved and our paycheck never equalled our counterparts that weren’t of diversity and that was frustrating. Very, very frustrating.”