HOLLYWOOD—Actress Sienna Miller joins a long list of actors including Jennifer Lawrence, Meryl Streep, Emma Thompson, Patricia Arquette, Cate Blanchett and Rose McGowan who in recent months have spoken up about misogyny in the entertainment industry.
Actress Jennifer Lawrence expressed anger after finding out she was paid less than her male co-stars. “The Hunger Games” actor addressed for the first time her disappointment since the revelations from the Sony hack that she earned considerably less than her male co-stars in “American Hustle.” Despite being a Hollywood A-lister and Oscar winner and even with Forbes ranking Lawrence as the highest female actor of 2015, she felt she failed as a negotiator.
Jennifer Lawrence, took first place in Forbes’ annual ranking of Hollywood’s top female earners, raking in an estimated pretax income of $52 million over the last 12 months. Very impressive for a 25-year-old. While Lawrence’s income is colossal, its just 65 percent of what Robert Downey Jr. took home over the 12-month period: $80 million, according to Forbes. The next three top-earning male actors- Jackie Chan, Vin Diesel, and “American Hustle” star Bradley Cooper-averaged a salary of $46 million. Putting it in perspective, that’s about $10 million more than the salary of the second-top-earning female actor, Downey’s “The Avengers: Age of Ulton” co-star Scarlett Johansson.
Actress Charlize Theron who is known for her activism for animal rights, marriage equality and reproductive freedom also takes on a new cause, equal pay for women. The star of 2012’s :Snow White and the Huntsman” reportedly negotiated a salary equal to her male co-star, Chris Hemsworth, for Universal’s forthcoming prequel, “The Huntsman,” slated for release in 2016.
According to PageSix, Charlize role as Queen Ravenna, is worth more than $10 million, the same as Hemsworth’s. Her latest pay negotiation is more than just a personal victory for her own bank account. It sends out a clear message to Hollywood executives that it’s unacceptable to pay female actors less than their male counterparts.
Lena Dunham, obviously the woman responsible for the platform Jennifer Lawrence used to express her views on the subject is on board, and has always been. Sarah Silverman is also on board. The list keeps on growing with actress Reese Witherspoon speaking up for equal pay and an advocate for gender equality.
Last year, two-time Oscar-winning actor Hilary Swank expressed her feelings on how Hollywood continues to fail to reward female stars with the kind of pay packets their male counterparts receive. Swank’s comments on gender pay disparity are largely born out by recent findings from Forbes magazine, which each year tracks the most well-remunerated actors in Hollywood.
No matter how many zeros are on the paycheck, that number should be based on skill, not gender. Pay disparity is just as pervasive in the traditional job market as it is in Hollywood. According to published reports, women on average make 78 cents to every dollar a man makes. As Hollywood studios start paying female stars what they are worth, they will hopefully inspire other industries to fall in line.
Rose’s Scoop: . The film “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part II, will be released in theatres on November 20. Last but not least, are you ready for BeautyCon NYC? This spectacular event will take place on October 17 at Pier 36 in New York City, so please mark your calendar.
