WILL & Grace star Debra Messing provided one of the early shocks of today's Golden Globes red carpet, calling out the E! Network - while being interviewed live on E!

Speaking to E! presenter Guiliana Rancic, the outspoken star explained why she'd joined the vast majority of celebs wearing all-black on the red carpet.

"I am wearing black to thank and honour the brave whistleblowers who came forward … wearing black to stand in solidarity with my sisters all over the globe," she began.

"I'm here to celebrate the rollout of this initiative, Time's Up. Time is up. We want diversity, we want intersectional gender parity, we want equal pay," Messing continued, before turning her attention specifically to the network she was being interviewed on.

"You know, I was so shocked to hear that E! doesn't believe in paying their female co-hosts the same as their male co-hosts. I mean, I miss Cat Sadler. We stand with her."

Former E! host Sadler quit the US network last month after finding out her male co-host was paid nearly twice as much money as her.

"How can I operate with integrity and stay on at E if they're not willing to pay me the same as him?," Sadler said in a statement, referring to her Daily Pop co-host Jason Kennedy, 36.

"Or at least come close? How can I accept an offer that shows they do not value my contributions and paralleled dedication all these years?"

Rancic did not prematurely cut off the interview, letting Messing finish her stirring speech.

"That's something that can change tomorrow - we want people to start having the conversation that women are just as valuable as men," Messing said.

Those on social media praised Messing for the bold move:

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