Michelle Williams spoke out about how her co-star Mark Wahlberg's donation of his reshoot fee, a whopping $1.5 million, to the Time’s Up Legal Defense Fund in her name was regarded as a big win for women as her getting the money herself.
The pay disparity between the two for the film All the Money in the World has sparked a huge debate regarding gender inequality in Hollywood.
As reported by USA Today, Walhberg received an additional $1.5 million, whereas Williams only received a standard per diem of $80 for her extra time on set.
The stars were asked to reshoot scenes when director Ridley Scott chose to remove Kevin Spacey from the movie after Anthony Rapp began the onslaught of sexual misconduct allegations against the actor. He was replaced by Christoper Plummer, who has earned a Golden Globe and BAFTA nomination for his work.
Williams has also thanked Rapp for his bravery in coming forward, “Anthony Rapp, for all the shoulders you stood on, now we stand on yours.”
Now, while it isn’t known whether Walhberg had a better contract that allowed him to negotiate his pay for the reshoots, both are represented by William Morris Endeavor agency, which makes the disparity seem even more unfair.
One argument being made is that his films typically rake in money at the box office. Eleven of his films have grossed more than $100 million. Williams has an impressive track record with many award nominated performances, however, only two of her films have hit the $100 million box office mark.
This has sparked a dialogue about the inequity of Hollywood pay gaps and has lit up social media with many stars adding their two-cents.
Jessica Chastain chimed in to report how unfair the pay disparity was and how important the Time's Up movement is.
While people are unhappy with the fact that this inequity exists, Williams' does not seem to bear any ill-will against her co-star. In fact, she has expressed her gratitude to him for helping to make a stand with the Time's Up movement.
Their agency also donated another $500,000, bringing the total gift to $2 million.
According to the Time's Up Legal Defense Fund website they aim to "subsidize legal support for individuals who have experienced sexual harassment or related retaliation in the workplace."
What do you think of Mark Walhberg's donation to the Time's Up Legal Defense Fund in Michelle Williams' name? Do you think it was an honest gesture or based on outside pressure?