Benedict Cumberbatch said in an interview with RadioTimes that he will only take a role if his female co-star takes home the same paycheck that he does. The Avengers actor stepped forward on a topic that is on the minds of many people in and outside of Hollywood and in a work environment.
"Equal pay and a place at the table are the central tenets of feminism," said Cumberbatch aka Doctor Strange. He added, "Look at your quotas. Ask what women are being paid, and say: 'If she's not paid the same as the men, I'm not doing it.'"
Cumberbatch, an outspoken feminist, isn't all talk. He plans to use his new production company, SunnyMarch, to create and produce more female-focused dramas.
"I'm proud that [partner] Adam [Ackland] and I are the only men in our production company; our next project is a female story with a female lens about motherhood, in a time of environmental disaster," Cumberbatch told RadioTimes. "If it's centered around my name, to get investors, then we can use that attention for a raft of female projects. Half the audience is female!"
Benedict currently stars in Patrick Melrose, a drama miniseries on Showtime that aired Saturday night. The five-part series follows the timeline of Patrick Melrose (Cumberbatch), who suffered a traumatic childhood in the South of France, had intense substance abuse issues during his 20's in New York, and then through his recovery in Britain. He can also currently be seen in theaters as Doctor Strange in the mega box office hit Avengers: Infinity War.
