You’ve seen her crush a dystopian society in the Hunger Games and battle against a war on mutants as one of the X-Men.
But now you’re about to see Hollywood’s golden girl, Jennifer Lawrence, hit the patriarchy for real.
For her upcoming film “Passengers,” a sci-fi drama romance, Lawrence will make almost double the amount of money her leading man, Chris Pratt, will ?rake in.
And it’s awesome.
According to the Hollywood Reporter, Lawrence will be making a whopping $20 million along with 30 percent of the movies profits.
Pratt will bring home $12 million — a number which was only recently bumped up after the success of Jurassic World.
I love Chris Pratt as much as the next person. In fact, I would say he’s one of my favorite actors.
He carries a down-to-Earth demeanor, which is strikingly different from another pretty face, like George Clooney.
But the implications of this progress overshadow our love for the great Starlord.
Not to mention J. Law is equally as amazing as Pratt — if not more.
What’s happening to Lawrence is something almost rare in the film ?business.
Yes, J. Law has already set records as one of the highest paid actresses currently hitting the big screen. But making more than her male counterpart sets a precedent for future blockbusters.
When a female actor plays the lead role, their salary shouldn’t diminish because they aren’t as “distinguished” or “established” as male actors.
In layman’s terms, if you’re a woman with the lead role, you shouldn’t make less because you’re a woman. It’s just that simple.
We’ve seen a shift of late with movies like “Mad Max: Fury Road,” which features a large cast of female ?characters who aren’t ?dominated or overshadowed by the male protagonist played by Tom Hardy.
Charlize Theron was the main actress in “Mad Max” who rightfully stole the spotlight as the action movie’s heroine.
Theron also negotiated with Sony to receive an equal salary as her male ?counterpart Chris Hemsworth in the upcoming sequel to “Snow White and the Huntsman.”
These actions go beyond telling compelling stories about women played by interesting actresses. It’s not just about representations in film but bringing the progress full circle.
Why should women believe they have the same abilities, the same strengths as their heroines on screen if those same actresses can’t get an equal paycheck?
Hopefully examples set by Theron and Lawrence will pave the way for other ?actresses to demand ?equality.
Leaked emails from the Sony hacking and other film blips in the news have demonstrated unequal pay for women in the movie industry is a problem far from being solved.
But today, we can celebrate for a little bit then get right back to pushing for more equality.
Here’s to a job well done for J. Law and the hope this is the end of an era in which actresses aren’t properly compensated for their work.
maehogan@indiana.edu
