Octavia Spencer received five times the amount of money she expected to for an upcoming festive role – thanks to Jessica Chastain.
The ‘Shape of Water’ actress revealed how she opened her co-stars eyes to the inequality and challenges faced by women of colour even compared to their white female counterparts.
While praising Chastain for her work to close the gender pay gap in Hollywood, she added: "Here’s the thing – women of color on that spectrum, we make far less than white women. If we’re going to have that conversation about pay equity, we have to bring women of color to the table. And I told her [Chastain] my story and we talked numbers and she was quiet and she had no idea that that’s what it was like for women of color…"
During the Women Breaking Barriers panel at the Sundance Film Festival, Octavia revealed how her co-star for the upcoming Christmas comedy – who she previously appeared opposite in 2011’s ‘The Help’ – took it beyond the conversation and made sure something was done about the payday.
She said: "I love that woman because she’s walking the walk and actually talking the talk She said, ‘Octavia, we’re going to get you paid on this film.’
"She said, ‘We’re going to be tied together, we’re going to make the same thing and you’re going to make that amount.’ And fast forward to last week, we’re making five times what we asked for. And now I want what the men are making, I want to get there. But right now it feels good to be in that conversation."
It comes after Jessica revealed her pride that, in an era where politics is becoming more "conservative and intolerant", the movie industry is trying to be more diverse and pushing for gender equality.
She said: "The industry is changing. In a world where politics is becoming so conservative and so intolerant, the industry wants diversity and tolerance and gender equality. So I do feel that there’s a change now."
Jessica Chastain helped Octavia Spencer get huge payday
