It’s 2018 and women are still only making a fraction of what men earn for the same jobs. Apparently All The Money in the World can't change that, according to USA Today, which revealed that actress Michelle Williams made over 1000 times less than Mark Wahlberg to reshoot scenes for the film.
After sexual assault allegations against Kevin Spacey came out in October, director Ridley Scott removed the actor from his leading role and replaced him with Christopher Plummer. In order to scrub Spacey from the film, tons of scenes had to be reshot. Though Scott previously said that the reshoot was “not as expensive as you think,” USA Today discovered that Wahlberg reportedly made $1.5 million for the extra work. Meanwhile, Williams got paid $80 per diem for a total less than $1,000.
Women in the industry rushed to Williams' defense, speaking out about the egregious pay gap online. “She has been in the industry for 20 yrs,” actress Jessica Chastain tweeted. “She deserves more than 1% of her male costar's salary.”
Williams told USA Today in December that she was willing to reshoot for nothing because she was excited by the changes. "I said I'd be wherever they needed me, whenever they needed me. And they could have my salary, they could have my holiday, whatever they wanted,” she said. “Because I appreciated so much that they were making this massive effort."
Both Wahlberg and Williams are represented by the same talent agency, William Morris Endeavor, which begs the question of how such a colossal gap in pay was possible. "This is so messed up that it is almost hard to believe," director/producer Judd Apatow tweeted.
This is so messed up that it is almost hard to believe. Almost. This is how this business works. I wonder if the studio or Wahlberg will do something to make the situation less insane. https://t.co/RsunBlOeCk
Williams recently attended the Golden Globes with activist Tarana Burke, the founder of the #MeToo movement. The discrepancy is an insult to Williams, who has been an outspoken voice against discrimination and violence in the entertainment industry . “I think because of the work Tarana has done and the work I am learning how to do, we actually have the opportunity to hand our children a different world,” Williams told Ryan Seacrest at the Globes Sunday.
