The A-list Hollywood star Emily Blunt is among some of the most prominent actors in the film industry and has captivated her audience with her remarkable work and critical acclaim. However, despite being an established actress in the industry and having one of the lead roles in the film, she faced a huge pay gap for her work in the 2021 Jaume Collet-Serra film.
Reports prior to the film’s release, revealed that Blunt’s co-star, Dwayne Johnson, was being paid more than double the amount the British actress received for Jungle Cruise.
Difference Between Emily Blunt And Her Co-Star’s Paycheck
Inspired by the iconic Disney theme park, Jungle Cruise follows Frank and Lily Houghton facing dangerous and supernatural obstacles on their journey to find a mystical tree in the Amazon rainforest. Emily Blunt portrayed the character of Lily Houghton, and Dwayne Johnson portrays the role of Frank, who guides Lily and her brother toward the mythical tree.
According to a 2018 report by TMZ, both the lead stars of the film had a huge difference in their paycheck. It claimed that the Black Adam star was set to receive $22 million, while his co-star would only get $9 million for her work in the film. Johnson was among the highest-paid actors in the world at the time.
As per Forbes, he earned $124 million in 2018 and was the second highest-paid actor following George Clooney. However, Blunt has also had multiple accolades to her name and was also considered a front-runner for the 2019 award season for her work in the musical fantasy Mary Poppins Returns.
The issues regarding the gender pay gap have been raised in Hollywood for a long time. Actresses like Jennifer Lawrence, Michelle Williams, Amy Schumer, Emma Stone, and many others have spoken out on the issue. And the Sicario actress also claimed that such things need aggressive action.
Emily Blunt on Gender Pay Gap in Hollywood
During an interview with Vanity Fair, Emily Blunt shared that she wants to make sure that she never feels “shortchanged.” The actress spoke in favor of fair pay as she claimed that there should be an “aggressive” approach toward such practices. “The people, who are calling and making the deals are…billed to f*ck you up,” she said.
She further mentioned that she has taken responsibility to make sure she has never gone through a similar situation and stated that “it’s okay to reclaim the words ‘making an aggressive deal’ as a positive.” Blunt further stated, “To shortchange you… In a way, because we are inundated with those types of stories now” and claimed that it had created a much “safer climate” where the actors are able to demand what they want.
Source: TMZ
