In the wake of the Harvey Weinstein scandal and the ongoing Hollywood reckoning, Kevin Spacey’s downfall was swift following accusations from Anthony Rapp that Spacey sexually assaulted him at the age of 14. Since Rapp came forward, several others have joined him in accusing Spacey of sexual misconduct and predatory behavior. Netflix suspended production of House of Cards, and director Ridley Scott began pursuing rapid reshoots to recast Spacey’s role in the true crime thriller All the Money in the World. Ironically, efforts to eradicate Spacey’s shadow of sexual harassment allegations inadvertently led to a highly publicized discussion about sex-based pay disparities.
Regarding the reshoots necessary to replace Spacey with Christopher Plummer, Scott stated in interviews that all cast members (with the exception of Plummer) completed the reshoots free of charge. Michelle Williams, one of the film’s s
tars, confirmed that she agreed to do the reshoots for free and that “it is our little act of trying to right a wrong. And it sends a message to predators–you can’t get away with this anymore. Something will be done.”
However, earlier this month, USA Today reported that another one of the film’s stars, Mark Wahlberg, was paid $1.5 million for the reshoots while Williams received an $80 per diem totaling less than $1,000. The fact that both actors are represented by the William Morris Endeavor Agency (WME) added even greater fuel to the ensuing fire. A social media storm erupted with many condemning the pay disparity between Williams and Wahlberg as yet another example of gender inequality in the workplace. Just two days earlier, male and female stars (including Williams) had worn black to the Golden Globes as a showing of support for Time’s Up, an anti-harassment and gender equality initiative launched by Hollywood power players like Reece Witherspoon, Eva Longoria, Shonda Rhimes, Ashley Judd, Natalie Portman, and many more.
Mark Wahlberg responded to the film controversy by promising to donate $1.5 million in Williams’ honor to the Time’s Up initiative. WME promised to donate an additional $500,000 to Time’s Up. Williams released a statement saying, “If we truly envision an equal world, it takes equal effort and sacrifice. Today is one of the most indelible days of my life because of Mark Wahlberg, WME, and a community of men and women who share in this accomplishment. Anthony Rapp, for all the shoulders you stood on, now we stand on yours.”
However, the controversy has not ended there. The Hollywood Reporter released a story that Williams reportedly was paid $625,000 for her work on All the Money in the World while Wahlberg took home $5 million, despite the fact they had nearly equal screen time in the film. Renewed public outcry has called for transparency in pay discussions and equality in the workplace. News outlets and social media are likely to bring us similarly high-profile stories raising pay disparity issues, and it seems that a growing number of actors have been emboldened to discuss pay and alleged inequalities. Indeed, the National Labor Relations Board has repeatedly reiterated employees’ right to discuss pay, and an executive order issued by then-president Barack Obama extends a similar standard to federal contractors who are not covered by the National Labor Relations Act.
While so many of these headlines involve Hollywood stars, employers in all industries should take note and embrace the opportunity to evaluate and continue to re-evaluate their own practices to ensure legal compliance and a healthy work environment for employees. My colleague Rachel E. Kelly wrote a great piece last week offering employer tips on the importance of transparency and establishing an appropriate workplace culture where qualified diverse candidates can thrive. As producer and screenwriter Shonda Rhimes stated about the Time’s Up initiative, “It’s very hard for us to speak righteously about the rest of anything if we haven’t cleaned our own house.” It seems that time is indeed up for those who put off necessary house cleaning.
