Update | Actor Ruth Wilson addressed her departure from Showtime's The Affair, on Thursday, but told CBS This Morning that she is "not allowed" to talk about why she left the show.
She did clarify that it was her decision to leave the show.
Rumors suggested Wilson may have left the show because of she received a lower salary than male co-star Dominic West. Wilson addressed the alleged pay difference in a February interview with the Radio Times.
"I mean, I don't know what the figure is, but I'm sure he [makes more]," she said. "I don't want more money, I just want equal money. Which means men have to take less."
West responded to signal his support of Wilson and her wish for equal pay.
"In fact she should get paid more because she won a Golden Globe for the part," West told The U.K.'s Channel 4 News. "There was absolutely no reason for her to get paid less than me, and that's part of what is being hopefully confronted now. You can't get away with it anymore, and there's no reason why a producer should get away with that."
Wilson did not confirm or deny her salary was her reason for leaving, but claimed she's not had a conversation about it with Showtime.
"I've never complained to Showtime about pay parity," she told CBS.
In a written statement, Showtime told Newsweek Wilson's departure was a timely creative decision.
"We can't speak for Ruth, but heading into season four everyone agreed the character's story had run its course," the statement read. "Ultimately, it felt like the most powerful creative decision would be to end Alison's arc at the moment when she had finally achieved self-empowerment. The impact of her loss will be felt as the series concludes next season. We thank the many fans who embraced the character of Alison and especially thank Ruth for her indelible work over the past four seasons."
Wilson's character, Alison, was killed off in the August 5 episode of The Affair. Viewers were left wondering if Alison committed suicide or was murdered by her boyfriend, Ben. The August 12 episode explained Alison's death was a murder.
Wilson won a 2015 Golden Globe for her portrayal of Alison. She will appear in the upcoming horror film The Little Stranger, which is scheduled to be released August 31 according to the Internet Movie Database.
She started her acting career in 2006 when she appeared in the mini-series Jane Eyre. Along with her role in The Affair, Wilson is best known for her appearances in 2013 film Locke and 2013 film Saving Mr. Banks. She also held a role in TV show Luther.
As well as sparking a conversation on equal pay, Wilson has spoken out about how sex sells in the movie industry.
"When you're feeling uncomfortable or exploited, they don't want to listen; they think you're being a bit difficult," she told The Guardian in February. "Also, this is an industry that sells sex, and that's… confusing."
This article has been updated to include Showtime's statement.
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