Scarlett Johansson Paid Same Wage As Male Co-Stars In Avengers
Women in Hollywood have been raising their voices for years about the gender pay gap, but one report shows that Scarlett Johansson may have busted that wide open. According to Variety, for her role as Black Widow in Avengers, Johansson was paid the same as Chris Evans and Chris Hemsworth for their roles as Captain America and Thor, respectively. The salary was awarded at an equal rate for both Avengers films.
The exact dollar amount is not known, though Johansson’s earnings are predicted to be around $35 million annually.
Disney has been taking a stand on equal pay across genders in Hollywood by awarding equal pay for their latest films. They reportedly also ensured equal pay in their films Frozen, Maleficent, and the upcoming Beauty and the Beast starring Emma Watson.
According to Alan Horn, chairman of Walt Disney Studios, the company understands the value of women in film. He told Variety the following.
“Audiences have proven that there’s an appetite and a market for dynamic female leads and female-driven stories, and as an industry, we have a responsibility to create those roles for women and compensate them accordingly.”
They no doubt learned this from the evidence of their biggest hit over the last five years, Frozen, which starred two female leads with male characters in the background. It made $1.27 billion worldwide and still remains a worldwide favorite.
However, not every film corporation has discovered the value of women in movies. Jennifer Lawrence has written an essay that she published on Facebook entitled, “Why Do I Make Less Than My Male Co-Stars?” This came out after she discovered her salary was considerably less than the male actors in American Hustle. The essay came out as brutally honest and not for the faint of heart. “I’m over trying to find the ‘adorable’ way to state my opinion and still be likable,” she said about the essay.
Sandra Bullock has also made several public comments about the inequality of women in Hollywood. She revealed her disgust to Variety, following her discovery of the pay gap for her most recent film, Our Brand is Crisis.
“I always make a joke: ‘Watch, we’re going to walk down the red carpet, I’m going to be asked about my dress and my hair while the man standing next to me will be asked about his performance and political issues.’ Once we start shifting how we perceive women and stop thinking about them as ‘less than,’ the pay disparity will take care of itself. There’s a much bigger issue at hand. I’m glad Hollywood got caught.”
![Even though she was the lead in the film 'Our Brand Is Crisis,' Sandra Bullock was paid less than many of her male co-stars. (Photo by Tibrina Hobson/Getty Images]](http://cdn.inquisitr.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/GettyImages-494399510.jpg)
“Female-driven films work. Films with women at the centre are not a public service project, they are a big-time, bottom line-enhancing, money-making commodity.”
Not everyone has heard the strong statements from these intelligent and talented women, but hopefully Disney will lead the way in an effort to increase the pay gap.
Scarlett Johansson is currently No. 2 on Forbes’ list of highest-paid actresses, following Jennifer Lawrence. However, these women make exorbitantly less than their male counterparts, even if their careers are longer. As mentioned previously, Robert Downey Jr. is currently the highest paid actor at $80 million, which is nearly twice what Lawrence makes.
Johansson is also the only major female character in the Marvel franchise, but that doesn’t mean she’s widely recognized. If you walk into Toys ‘R’ Us or any other toy aisle, you’ll see the walls loaded with Captain Americas, Iron Mans, and Thors, but rarely will you see so much as a Black Widow figurine.
In a world where women are struggling to receive compensation for their hard work, it’s nice to hear that Scarlett Johansson is being paid her dues for her role in Avengers.
[Image via Jesse Grant / Getty Images]
