As black-ish is gearing up for its final season, Anthony Anderson says that his on-screen wife Tracee Ellis Ross did not like him for a long time.
Speaking to Parade Magazine, Anderson admitted that while they are close friends now, their relationship was far from being friendly for many years.
Anthony Anderson Says Tracee Ellis Ross Didn't like Him For 10 years
Anderson explained how it all started, saying, “I knew Tracee prior to black-ish,” Anderson said.
“We laugh about this now, but Tracee didn’t like me for maybe 10 years! We hosted the Vibe Awards [in 2005]. As we were walking onto the stage, there was a loud sound over the speaker, and I said, “Tracee? Did you fart?” The audience loved it, but what I did not know is how offended Tracee was by that comment.”
The future on-screen husband and wife did not have an amicable relationship and it was all because of a crude joke Anderson made.
Anderson also revealed that when he would appear on a different show Ellis Ross was starring in, she would leave the set when it was time for his close-ups, adding, “I thought Tracee was just showing me the utmost respect as an actor,” contended Anderson. “I was like ‘Oh, my God, I’ve never been treated like this before! I was a guest star on her show, and she was just giving me her set!’ Well, looking back on it, she didn’t want to be around me!”
Anthony Anderson Says Things Finally Changed When The Two Started 'Black-ish'
The actor went on to say that their relationship improved during the first season of black-ish.
“She really didn’t start liking me until we were midway through the first season of black-ish,” he added, “and so we laugh about it now. But today, there’s nothing that I would not do for Tracee. We work the same, we learn the same, we are there for one another, and we have the ability to work with such fearlessness when we’re together, because we know that we will never allow the other to fall.”
black-ish’s run is coming to a close and after seven seasons the show has been very influential creating multiple spin-offs. The first episode of the final season of black-ish premieres on Jan. 4 on ABC.
