Entertainment

Charlize Theron Reportedly Negotiates Equal Pay

by Sofia Barrett-Ibarria

There's been a lot of discussion about Hollywood's gender pay gap following the Sony hack that revealed Jennifer Lawrence and Amy Adams earned much less for their roles in American Hustle than their male co-stars, among other embarrassing and problematic pieces of information. The news that Lawrence and Adams, arguably two of the most powerful and influential women in Hollywood, weren't given equal pay is unsettling and disappointing, but sadly, it's not that surprising. Pay inequality isn't just Hollywood's problem.

According to the Institute for Women's Policy Research, full-time female workers made only 78 cents for every dollar earned by men in 2013, representing a 22% gender wage gap, and the more women make, the more the earnings gap increases. Some would argue that publishing the emails revealing Sony's egregious pay discrepancy for its female stars encourages censorship or "helps" the hackers, but this little tidbit can't be swept under the rug. A source reportedly told Page Six, "One knock-on effect from the Sony hacking scandal is that there will be more sensitivity about equal pay for actresses and hiring practices at movie studios."

Jezebel called this increased sensitivity an "accidental side effect" of the Sony hack, and so far it's been beneficial; at least, for some. Charlize Theron has definitely taken note of the news about unequal pay, and reportedly negotiated a $10 million pay raise for her role as Ravenna in the upcoming movie, The Huntsman, meaning she'll be paid as much as her co-star, Chris Hemsworth. While Theron represents only a tiny segment of working women and the population in general, she's also a certified boss lady with a proven record for being super bossy, so good for her. In the immortal words of Missy Elliott, "Girls, get that cash."