Did Tracee Ellis Ross Have A Problem With Anthony Anderson?

Tracee Ellis Ross and Anthony Anderson are two of the hottest stars in the sitcom world, and their on-screen chemistry is off-the-charts. Is it just us, or do they seem made to play spouses? The duo teamed up on the ABC hit "Black-ish" in 2014, playing the roles of husband and wife Rainbow and Andre Johnson. (The show is so highly rated, in fact, that it scored an impressive 92% on Rotten Tomatoes' Tomatometer.) Ross and Anderson make regular appearances on one another's Instagram pages, and it's safe to say that they have a happy working relationship.

In May 2021, the show's creator, Kenya Barris, announced that the eighth season of "Black-ish" would be its last. "To ALL the people in the world I love, honor, respect and care for, it is both exciting and bittersweet to share that black-ish has been RENEWED by ABC for it's EIGHTH... and FINAL SEASON," she wrote on Instagram.

In an interview with Harper's Bazaar, Ross said she was "ready" for the show to end, but noted it would be hard. "What a delight it's been to leap, stretch and grow with you these past 8 years, @anthonyanderson. The rapport we have as Mr & Mrs. Johnson was apparent from the start," Ross wrote on Instagram ahead of the Season 8 premiere. "Most importantly, we've never let each other fall. You are the absolute best TV husband a gal could ever ask for, Pherny."  

The two seem to be great friends now, but that wasn't always the case.

Anthony Anderson and Tracee Ellis Ross didn't initially get along

Tracee Ellis Ross and her "Black-ish" co-star Anthony Anderson's relationship didn't exactly start off swimmingly. Anderson opened up about his dynamic with his co-star in an interview with Parade Magazine, and while the pair are close now, that wasn't always the case. "Tracee didn't like me for maybe 10 years! We hosted the Vibe Awards [in 2005]," Anderson explained to the outlet. "As we were walking onto the stage there was a loud sound over the speaker, and I said, "Tracee? Did you fart?" The actor recalled that the audience loved the bit, but he didn't know how much it offended Ross.

Fast forward to 2011, when the pair shared the stage on "Reed Between the Lines," and Ross would leave the stage when Anderson came on. At first, Anderson thought she was showing him the utmost respect, but then he realized the truth. "Well, looking back on it, she didn't want to be around me! She really didn't start liking me until we were midway through the first season of "Black-ish," and so we laugh about it now," he said.

Anderson took things a step further regarding his relationship with his on-screen wife, sharing that there's nothing he "​​would not do for Tracee." In January, ahead of a "Good Morning America" appearance, Anderson raved over Ross on Instagram. "Tomorrow morning I'm right back at it with my amazing TV wife @traceeellisross on @goodmorningamerica," he gushed. Oh how far they've come!