Jennifer Lawrence has revealed her frustrations with the gender pay gap in Hollywood following reports that she earned $5m less than co-star Leonardo DiCaprio for Don’t Look Up.
The film was released in 2021 and follows two scientists trying to warn the world about an approaching asteroid with the potential to wipe out mankind. Lawrence had previously spoken out about pushing for her name to be top-billed in the promotion of the film to reflect being the first name on the call sheet on set.
It was reported by Variety that she earned $25m for her role, compared to DiCaprio’s $30m paycheck. While speaking with Vogue, Lawrence said she’s aware that all actors of her level of fame and accomplishments are “overpaid” although she acknowledged that the difference is still “bothersome.”
“It doesn’t matter how much I do. I’m still not going to get paid as much as that guy, because of my vagina?” she said of the pay gap. Last year, in an interview with Vanity Fair, Lawrence was also quizzed on the pay gap between her and DiCaprio, to which she responded: “Look, Leo brings in more box office than I do. I’m extremely fortunate and happy with my deal.”
The 31-year-old added: “But in other situations, what I have seen – and I’m sure other women in the workforce have seen as well – is that it’s extremely uncomfortable to inquire about equal pay. And if you do question something that appears unequal, you’re told it’s not gender disparity but they can’t tell you what exactly it is.”
This wasn’t the first time Lawrence had experienced this issue, back in 2014 when Sony Pictures computers were hacked, it emerged that she had been paid substantially less than her male co-stars for the film American Hustle.
