Mark Wahlberg and his talent agency, William Morris Endeavor, will donate $2 million to a fund dedicated to fighting pay inequity and harassment of women in Hollywood.
The donation will be made in the name of Michelle Williams, Mr. Wahlberg’s co-star in the movie “All the Money in the World,” after an outcry about pay discrepancy in reshoots for the film. Ms. Williams received a per diem of $80 for 10 days of work while Mr. Wahlberg negotiated a fee of $1.5 million. The two actors are represented by the same agency.
“Over the last few days my reshoot fee for ‘All the Money in the World’ has become an important topic of conversation,” Mr. Wahlberg said in a statement. “I 100% support the fight for fair pay and I’m donating the $1.5M to the Time’s Up Legal Defense Fund in Michelle Williams’ name.”
Through a spokeswoman, Mr. Wahlberg declined to comment further on Saturday.
William Morris Endeavor said in a statement that it was “committed to being part of the solution.” The agency pledged $500,000 to the Time’s Up fund.
“The current conversation is a reminder that those of us in a position of influence have a responsibility to challenge inequities, including the gender wage gap,” the statement said.
Scenes from the movie, directed by Ridley Scott, had to be reshot after Imperative Entertainment, which financed the movie, removed the actor Kevin Spacey, who was accused by several men of making unwanted sexual advances, from the finished film.
Christopher Plummer replaced Mr. Spacey, and Mr. Scott reassembled the cast in London to reshoot the scenes with a budget of $10 million.
The film is about the 1973 kidnapping of John Paul Getty III and his grandfather’s refusal to pay a $17 million ransom.
Fellow actors expressed outrage at the pay disparity when it came to light.
(Excerpt) Read More in: The New York Times