This shocking pay gap was met with a surprising defense from the actress, citing box office dominance.
Even before the movie debuts, “Don’t Look Up,” a critically acclaimed sci-fi satire on Netflix starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence, is garnering attention. But this time, it’s not the impressive cast or the gripping story that’s drawing viewers in.
Instead, the stunning salary gap between the two stars has drawn attention, and Lawrence has shockingly defended the unfair treatment. Her surprising defense of the wage disparity has stirred uproar and rekindled the continuing topic, even though Hollywood has long struggled with unequal compensation.
Variety reported in August 2021 that the giant streaming service has significantly invested in the movie’s leading actors. DiCaprio, who is well-known for his roles in movies like “The Departed,” reportedly agreed to an astounding $30 million salary for his work in “Don’t Look Up.”
On the other hand, Lawrence, who is well-known for her critically acclaimed work in “Silver Linings Playbook,” made a much lesser $25 million. The combined pay of the A-list pair made up a sizeable percentage of the production costs, given the movie’s rumored $75 million budget.
Despite having a far smaller budget than Netflix’s November hit “Red Notice,” which cost a staggering $200 million to make and stars Ryan Reynolds, Gal Gadot, and Dwayne Johnson, “Don’t Look Up” has an excellent ensemble cast that goes beyond Lawrence and DiCaprio.
The two stars are joined by prominent actors, including the best actress of her time, Meryl Streep, Timothée Chalamet, Matthew Perry, Cate Blanchett, Ariana Grande, Jonah Hill, Tyler Perry, and Chris Evans. This impressive cast further increases the anticipation for the movie.
The story of “Don’t Look Up” revolves around two “low-level astronomers” warning the public about an approaching catastrophic comet that is speeding towards Earth. High expectations were increased by the involvement of acclaimed director Adam McKay, known for his work in “Hustlers” and “The Big Short,” who also wrote, produced, and directed the picture.
Lawrence, who had previously been outspoken about the problem of female pay discrepancy in Hollywood, unexpectedly supported DiCaprio’s higher wage in an interview with Vanity Fair in its December 2021/January 2022 issue.
Lawrence has frequently attacked the entertainment business for treating people unfairly, but in this instance, she focused on DiCaprio’s success at the box office as the cause of his higher salary, saying, “Look, Leo brings in more box office than I do.”
“I’m extremely fortunate and happy with my deal. 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.”
Even if the actress, in this case, seems to accept the salary discrepancy between her and DiCaprio, it is undeniably a stark illustration of the persisting gender pay inequality in the entertainment business. Lawrence earned the most screen time in the movie, and McKay especially created her character, Kate, for her.
Additionally, rumors claim that before agreeing to co-star, DiCaprio participated in creating the script. And while she may have accepted DiCaprio’s huge compensation in “Don’t Look Up” because she appreciated his box office appeal, it does highlight the persistent gender pay discrepancy that persists in the entertainment business.