Topic:
Acclaimed actress Amy Adams opens up about the wage gap in Hollywood.
Source:
McGurk, Stuart. “Amy Adams on the Pay Gap: ‘I Knew I Was Being Paid Less’.” British GQ. GQ, 26 Feb. 2016. Web. 05 Feb. 2017. <http://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/article/amy-adams-pay-gap-jennifer-lawrence-sony>.
Movies are perhaps the most popular form of entertainment amongst the current population. With the current generation of millennials, only a select few continue to read books. Despite its continuous success, Hollywood still seems to be a hotbed for controversy as of late. With the dawn of the information age, the lives of film personalities are becoming increasingly open to the public, with social media taking this idea to a whole new level, in which fans can know where their favorite stars are at any time. Another feature of the time we live in is that the filmmaking business has become somewhat exposed, with actors, directors, and crew members sharing stories that previously would not have reached the public.
Recently, Amy Adams, a multiple time academy award nominee, spoke out about the wage gap that exists in Hollywood. This came as a shock to me, as there have been so many films made over the past decade that casts women as leads, and in star roles. Until this point, it had appeared to me that it was unlikely that Hollywood would discriminate against women, especially in the year 2016.
Adams speaks about how she was aware that in her film ‘American Hustle’ her co-stars Christian Bale and Bradley Cooper were paid far more than Adams herself, and fellow female co-star Jennifer Lawrence, despite having fairly similar screen times.
This is an example of lack of diversity in the workplace, specifically relating to gender empowerment. I believe that Hollywood directors and producers should attempt to reduce the wage gap between men and women, as there is undoubtedly a lot of female talent in the world that Hollywood could undoubtedly benefit from in casting. By continuing practices like the wage gap, aspiring young actors may be turned off acting, and perhaps will chose a different career path. Lastly, I believe if Hollywood reduces or removes their wage gap, they will set up a good example for other industries to follow suit, and may be the catalyst that makes an impact on feminism.
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