1.
In her new memoir titled Insurgent Rising, Insurgent Wilson revealed that she was solely paid $3,500 for her function in Bridesmaids — simply sufficient to pay the charges for becoming a member of the SAG-AFTRA union. The actor mentioned the low pay “did not matter” to her. She wrote, “The expertise was the whole lot!”
2.
Throughout an interview with GQ, Christian Bale mentioned he was paid “absolutely the minimal they have been legally allowed” for starring in American Psycho. “And I had a home that I used to be sharing with my dad and my sister, and that was getting repossessed.”
He continued, “So the very first thing was: ‘Holy crap. I’ve received to get a bit of cash,’ as a result of I’ve received American Psycho completed, however I bear in mind one time sitting within the make-up trailer, and the make-up artists have been laughing at me as a result of I used to be getting paid lower than any of them. And in order that was my motivation after that. It was simply: ‘I received to get sufficient that the home doesn’t get repossessed.'”
3.
Kimiko Glenn has been very outspoken concerning the poor compensation she and lots of fellow actors acquired from Orange Is the New Black. Throughout final yr’s SAG-AFTRA strike, she posted a TikTok, saying, “Individuals have been bartenders nonetheless. Individuals had their second jobs nonetheless.”
She continued, “They have been internationally well-known, could not go outdoors, however needed to preserve their second jobs as a result of they could not afford to not. We could not afford cabs to set!” On Instagram, she defined that she earned $900 per day of capturing — netting her simply $1,800 per 30 days.
4.
Throughout an look on the Stay at 9 present, Terrence Howard revealed that he was not pretty compensated for his early roles. “I made $12,000 for doing Hustle & Stream,” he mentioned. “What Paramount did, as a substitute of placing my identify as Terrence Howard performing the songs, they put ‘carried out by DJay.’ Nicely, they owned DJay, so guess what? The efficiency royalties went to Paramount.”
He additionally shared that he was solely paid $6,000 for Crash, the 2004 movie that gained the Oscar for Finest Image. “The enterprise do not pay actors something,” Terrence continued. “Actors are struggling.”
5.
Ryan Gosling reportedly made $1,000 per week for his function in Half Nelson, which earned him his first Oscar nomination. Taking pictures took 23 days, and his compensation for the movie was round $3,200.
6.
Sharon Stone revealed that she wasn’t paid pretty for starring in Primary Intuition. “I did not receives a commission to do Primary Intuition,” she advised CBC. “I made a bit of bit of cash. Michael made $14 million and has factors. I made not sufficient cash to purchase my costume to go to the Oscars the following yr. I used to be on this bizarre limbo the place I used to be abruptly well-known, however did not have any cash.”
7.
On Chelsea Handler’s Netflix speak present, Chelsea, Hilary Swank revealed that she was solely paid $3,000 for starring in Boys Do not Cry. Her efficiency gained the Oscar and Golden Globe for Finest Actress.
“I made $3,000. With a view to have medical insurance, it’s a must to make $5,000,” she shared. “So I did not even know that I did not have medical insurance till I went and tried to get a prescription stuffed. They mentioned, ‘That is $160.’ I went, ‘Um, did you strive my insurance coverage?’ They mentioned, ‘Mmm-hmm.’ I had an Academy Award, no medical insurance.”
8.
In accordance with the New Yorker, Barkhad Abdi was paid $65,000 for his function in Captain Phillips, which earned him Golden Globe and Oscar nominations, in addition to a BAFTA win. After manufacturing ended, he returned to promoting cellphones in a Minneapolis mall.
“How I thought of it was, like, ‘When the film got here out, opinions both gonna be good or unhealthy. Both method, I can’t be working right here,'” he recalled. Barkhad give up that job on the day of the premiere. Whereas selling the film in LA, he lived within the resort the studio put him up in and wore loaner garments.
9.
Jamie Lee Curtis was paid $8,000 to star within the unique Halloween film. Throughout an interview with Individuals, she recalled behind-the-scenes moments of the low-budget movie, together with looking for her character’s clothes herself. “All of the sudden, I used to be going to JCPenney and shopping for Laurie’s wardrobe with $200.”
10.
In accordance with Insider, Oprah was paid $35,000 for enjoying Sofia in The Coloration Purple. Her efficiency was nominated for an Oscar for Finest Supporting Actress.
11.
Jeff Daniels was paid $50,000 for his work within the ’90s comedy Dumb and Dumber. As compared, costar Jim Carrey made $7 million. Bobby Farrelly, one of many movie’s writers, advised the Hollywood Reporter, “The studio didn’t need [Jeff], they mentioned, ‘Please, anybody however him. Get a comedic actor.’ … They provided him 50 figuring he’ll say, ‘No, I’m not taking that,’ however he took it.”
12.
Priyanka Chopra advised Insider that she as soon as costarred in a Bollywood film the place she was paid considerably lower than her male counterpart. “A producer-director mentioned to me, ‘Nicely, you know the way it’s in these huge tentpole films with the massive boys. That is the funds for the lady, and we will not transfer past that,’ which was a measly 5% of what [the male lead] was getting.”
13.
James Earl Jones was paid $7,000 to voice Darth Vader in Star Wars: A New Hope. The actor advised the American Movie Institute, “George [Lucas] wished, pardon the expression, a darkish voice. So he hires a man born in Mississippi, raised in Michigan, who stutters. And that’s the voice. That’s me. And I lucked out.”
14.
And eventually, Amanda Seyfried advised the Sunday Occasions concerning the gender pay hole she skilled earlier in her profession. “On one among my big-budget movies, I discovered I used to be being paid 10% of what my male costar was getting, and we have been fairly even in standing.”
She continued, “I feel individuals suppose that simply because I’m easy-going and recreation to do issues, I’ll simply take as little as they provide. … It’s not about how a lot you get, it’s about how honest it’s.” She additionally mentioned that feminine actors “should resolve if you happen to’re prepared to stroll away from one thing.”
Every other actors who acquired surprisingly low paychecks in the beginning of their careers? LMK within the feedback under!
