Jennifer Lawrence is one of the most outspoken and confident actresses in Hollywood. While she has been vocal advocate for gender equality in the industry several times, the actress is not shying away from bringing it up yet again. Lawrence recently lashed out about pay disparities that the female actors in the industry face.
The Oscar-winning actress wrote an elaborate essay for Lena Dunham’s newsletter via The Atlantic, wherein she shed light on her personal experience with the gender pay gap. This is not the first time that she has spoken up about the pay disparities – the actress has raised her voice against the issue head-on several times before.
“I Failed As A Negotiator”: Jennifer Lawrence Says Her Personality Is Partially Responsible For Her Lower Pay
Jennifer Lawrence is not the one to shy away from speaking against gender-based injustice, and she has always made it pretty clear. The actress didn’t hold back from raising an objection when she found out that actors like Jeremy Renner, Bradley Cooper, and Christian Bale were being paid more her for their roles in ‘American Hustle’.
In the open letter that she penned for Lena Dunham’s newsletter via The Atlantic, the actress used some strong words to express her rage. “When the Sony hack happened and I found out how much less I was being paid than the lucky people with d**ks, I didn’t get mad at Sony. I got mad at myself,” Jennifer Lawrence wrote.
“I failed as a negotiator because I gave up early. I didn’t want to keep fighting over millions of dollars that, frankly, due to two franchises, I don’t need,” she added. The reaction came after the actress realized that she was only paid 7% in ‘American Hustle’ while the male lead actors equally received 9%.
In the letter, Lawrence highlighted how it’s a part of her personality to avoid controversies – which she said has disappointed her. “But if I’m honest with myself, I would be lying if I didn’t say there was an element of wanting to be liked that influenced my decision to close the deal without a real fight. I didn’t want to seem ‘difficult’ or ‘spoiled’,” she wrote.
“At the time, that seemed like a fine idea, until I saw the payroll on the Internet and realized every man I was working with definitely didn’t worry about being ‘difficult’ or ‘spoiled,’” she added.
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Jennifer Lawrence’s Stand Against Pay Disparity Garners Support From Bradley Cooper
The struggle against pay disparity and gender discrimination is a pervasive issue faced by many women in workplaces globally. Hollywood is a breeding ground for this disparity. Jennifer Lawrence being upfront about it received widespread appreciation.
In fact, her male co-star Bradley Cooper expressed admiration for her stance and asserted that he actively supports female co-stars in negotiating their salaries.
Speaking to Reuters, Cooper said there is a need to discuss financial matters openly. “I don’t know where it’s changing otherwise, but that’s something that I could do. Usually you don’t talk about the financial stuff, you have people. But you know what? It’s time to start doing that,” he said.
However, not all responses were as supportive. Jeremy Renner, another co-star from ‘American Hustle’, faced criticism for distancing himself from the issue. “That’s not my job. I don’t know contracts and money and all that sort of stuff. I’m a performer and I know human behavior. When it comes to that sort of stuff I let other people deal with that,” he said.
Renner later clarified his stance, asserting that he supports women and believes that gender should not influence salary decisions.
As Lawrence and others continue to spotlight the gender pay gap in Hollywood, the industry finds itself at a juncture where it needs to reconsider the paying norms for male and female artists.
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