LOS ANGELES • Hollywood is voicing its outrage at reports that Mark Wahlberg was paid 1,500 times more than Michelle Williams to reshoot the kidnap drama All The Money In The World.
After allegations of sexual misconduct against Kevin Spacey came to light, director Ridley Scott replaced the actor with Christopher Plummer and got the cast back together again to reshoot pivotal scenes.
But Williams, billed as the lead actress, got paid way less than Wahlberg, a supporting actor.
On Tuesday, USA Today reported some exact figures: Williams earned US$80 (S$107) per diem, adding up to less than US$1,000 and less than 1 per cent of the US$1.5 million Wahlberg earned.
According to the outlet, his team negotiated the reshoot fee.
Reps for the movie studio Sony, the actors and the agency that represents both, William Morris Endeavor, did not comment.
Scott had previously told USA Today that the actors did the reshoots "for nothing" - meaning union minimums - and that he also did not get paid.
The pay gap generated plenty of emotion, including among celebrities.
Williams "has been in the industry for 20 (years)", actress Jessica Chastain tweeted. "She deserves more than 1 per cent of her male co-star's salary."
"This is so messed up that it is almost hard to believe. Almost," director Judd Apatow tweeted. "This is how this business works."
In August, Forbes magazine named Wahlberg the world's highest paid actor in 2017, earning an estimated US$68 million.
Emma Stone, the highest paid actress, took home an estimated US$26 million.
The disclosure of salary details came after Sunday's Golden Globes, which was a showcase for Time's Up, a new initiative to end sexual harassment and gender inequality.
Williams walked the red carpet with Tarana Burke, founder of the #metoo movement.
Most contracts with actors include a certain number of reshoot days as a routine stipulation.
But Williams and Wahlberg, who had both agreed to appear in All The Money In The World for less than their standard fee, took different approaches to the reshoot, according to people briefed on the matter.
Williams quickly agreed to return. She ultimately worked over Thanksgiving, racing to London on an overnight flight after arranging for her 12-year-old daughter to spend the holiday without her.
"They could have my salary, they could have my holiday, whatever they wanted," she said of the production team at the time.
"Because I appreciated so much that they were making this massive effort."
Although several actors with small parts, including Timothy Hutton, had agreed to return for the reshoot for minimum pay, Wahlberg was not one of them, according to the sources.
He asked his primary agent Doug Lucterhand to push for more money. (Williams is represented at William Morris Endeavor by Mr Brent Morley.)
Wahlberg was already not thrilled to have worked for roughly 80 per cent less than his standard fee, the sources said, especially when overseas distributors were using his box-office track record to promote the film.
Because Williams had already committed to return, Wahlberg had leverage: He was the only major missing piece and the clock was ticking. The film was set to be released on Dec 25.
Imperative Entertainment, the company that produced it, ultimately agreed to US$1.5 million.
Individual client contracts are not always discussed between agents who work at the same agency. Agents generally work for a 10 per cent cut of the payments they secure.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, WASHINGTON POST, NYTIMES
