Scarlett Johansson: 'I Feel 'Icky' To Talk About Gender Pay Gap And Salaries

By R. Siva Kumar - 11 Apr '16 07:39AM
Close

Scarlett Johannson is not only among the most successful Hollywood actors, but is also the latest to disclose her viewpoints about gender pay gap difference in the industry.

She referred to it in Cosmopolitan magazine, and confessed that it did not really affect her much.

"There's something icky about me having that conversation unless it applies to a greater whole," she told the magazine. "I am very fortunate, I make a really good living, and I'm proud to be an actress who's making as much as many of my male peers at this stage ... I think every woman has [been underpaid], but unless I'm addressing it as a larger problem, for me to talk about my own personal experience with it feels a little obnoxious."

Not only Scarlett, but even Jennifer Lawrence and Amy Adams , have reported that they were being paid less than male co-stars, while Kate Winslet also gave similar opinions.

"I don't like talking about money; it's a bit vulgar isn't it?" the actress said  last November.

A women's rights group called the Fawcett Society slammed her for refusing to have anything to do with the debate. It said that she could give some value addition to the debate about the salary gap.

"Scarlett Johansson is right to say her salary isn't typical, but the discrimination that women in the film industry experience is not so far removed from the lived experience of women at every level and the gender pay gap that we see right across our economy," Fawcett Society's chief executive Sam Smethers said. "It's valuable to have high profile celebrities talking about this issue and a reminder to us all that sex discrimination is just that. Even wealthy film stars experience it."

Ironically, it is probably because Johansson is among those who earns as much as her male peers. Hence, she was paid an equal amount as her "Avengers" co-stars Chris Evans and Chris Hemsworth. But Lawrence earned much less than her male "American Hustle" co-stars Bradley Cooper and Christian Bale.

Fun Stuff

Join the Conversation

The Next Read

Real Time Analytics