I read that last night. So the controversy is that the two Asian stars were not being paid the same as the two Caucasian stars. But the question is: were they co-stars, and thus below the billing of the two white guys, or was it a true ensemble cast?
On the original show, no doubt that McGarrett was the most important character, then Danno, then everyone else. To some degree that was true here (I confess I did watch this show from time to time, although it's not the best thing on TV to put it mildly).
But in the new show, it's not as clear. Consider:
1. Grace Park was coming off of Battlestar Galactica, and Daniel Dae Kim off of Lost. Both were far better known than the white guys when the show started, and I for one only watched the show at all because I liked those two actors.
2. All the publicity for the show emphasized the four characters, not just the white guys or McGarrrett.
3. The Danno actor (Scott Caan) had negotiated that he would only have to appear in some of the episodes because he didn't want to work full time. So, he worked less than either Asian actor, but was paid more.
4. The two white actors received a percentage of syndication profits, but the Asians did not. That's on top of the higher salaries.
It's hard to rationalize this as anything other than what it seems to be: inequitable pay for the two people of color in the cast.
