Fury ignites over the Michelle Williams-Mark Wahlberg pay gap
If the stars wearing all black at the Golden Globes this week weren’t enough indication that the #TimesUp movement has taken over Hollywood, today’s gender pay-gap news will affirm it. According to USA Today, Michelle Williams made 1,000 times less than her male co-star Mark Wahlberg.
The pay discrepancy was during the All the Money in the World’s controversial reshoots late last year. Director Ridley Scott abruptly replaced Kevin Spacey with Christopher Plummer in the film after Spacey was accused of sexual assault. Reshooting all the scenes with Plummer as J. Paul Getty took 10 days and reportedly cost $10 million.
The Washington Post reported in November that there was a major pay gap between Michelle Williams and Mark Wahlberg for the reshoot. Now, however, we’re learning the exact figures of the discrepancy. According to USA Today, Wahlberg was paid $1.5 million for the shoot, while Williams was paid less than $1,000.
Adding insult to injury, Scott told USA Today last month that no one, save for the crew and Plummer, were paid for the hasty shoot. “Everyone did it for nothing,” he said. “They all came in free.” The publication noted that Williams was not told Wahlberg, in reality, made $1.5 million.
The internet exploded in utter outrage.
Jesus H. Wahlberg Christ. This is so ridiculous I can't believe it's true. Do better, Hollywood. #PayMichelle https://t.co/DtulWJcvSy
— Katie Snider (@katieinbold) January 10, 2018
Mark Wahlberg doesn’t have even 1% of Michelle Williams’ acting ability
— Jon (@prasejeebus) January 10, 2018
Same work. Enormous gap in pay. Unacceptable. #payequity #paymichelle @AAUW https://t.co/8rPE05KDXX
— Kim Churches (@ChurchesK) January 10, 2018
Celebrities also responded in support of Williams.
UNACCEPTABLE. UNACCEPTABLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TO SAY THE LEAST. https://t.co/KS6hRmE4TA
— Busy Philipps (@BusyPhilipps) January 10, 2018
I heard for the reshoot she got $80 a day compared to his MILLIONS. Would anyone like to clarify? I really hope that with everything coming to light, she was paid fairly. She's a brilliant actress and is wonderful in the film. https://t.co/VzGA2ucAjV
— Jessica Chastain (@jes_chastain) January 9, 2018
Michelle Williams is one of the best actress working right now. It makes me furious that her talent is undervalued in this way. #EqualPay https://t.co/Tk5t9iDQd0
— Jesse Tyler Ferguson (@jessetyler) January 10, 2018
Williams, Wahlberg, and Scott have not responded to the report.
In lighter news taking over the internet today, U.K. audiences have discovered the beloved sitcom Friends. While it may be hard to grasp that people who’ve never seen the iconic ’90s show actually exist, Friends was made available on Netflix in that region only this past week. Fresh new eyes are viewing the series for the first time ever.
Needless to say, the reactions are just as hilarious as the show itself. The general consensus: Ross is the worst.
Watching Friends for the first time n all I can say is that Ross is an absolute turnip
— ? Annie ? (@justmagica_l) January 6, 2018
I'm watching Friends all the way through for the first time and Ross is an absolute ass. WHY DO PEOPLE LIKE HIM?
— Becky (@Blupye) January 4, 2018
Watching through Friends for the first time. Ross is a monster. What is Rachel seeing in him
— Bee Wakefield (@Bee_Wakefield) January 5, 2018
New fans also got a kick out of the show’s ’90s wardrobe.
watching #friends properly for the first time…..I just want all the outfits minus the awful shoes pic.twitter.com/G0Ux0aX1Se
— alisha (@alishajordanXO) January 9, 2018
So first things first… my god the hair
— Daniel Faulkner (@TheDanFaulkner) January 5, 2018
The funniest responses, however, came from poking holes in the show’s various plots. Forget about how Monica could afford that giant apartment in Manhattan; we need to talk about the great Winegate of Season 2.
There’s an episode of Friends where a group of 26 year olds are shocked that they drank 5 bottles of wine between 7 people over an entire evening and honestly that’s way more unrealistic than the massive apartment thing.
— Rebecca Manning Reid (@RebeccaCNReid) January 9, 2018
Legit, five wine bottles and seven people seems pretty reasonable…
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