Salma Hayek says actors must take pay cuts if they’re serious about gender equality.
The 51-year-old actress has spoken about Hollywood’s gender pay gap during a Women in Motion talk at the Cannes Film Festival, where she called on her male co-stars to take a proactive approach towards the problem.
Salma – who has been a vocal supporter of the Time’s Up and #MeToo campaigns – explained: "It is not just the producers. It is actors too.
"Time’s up. You had a good run but it is time now to be generous with the actresses."
The Mexican-born star subsequently claimed that one way to achieve equality would be for actors to spurn "inflated fees".
She said: "If actors ask such inflated fees it will leave nothing for actresses. If the movie’s budget is $10 million, the (male) actor has to understand that if he is making $9.7 million, it is going to be hard for equality.
"Otherwise they will kill the movie. I will be hated for saying this. I hope I can get another job…"
Earlier this month, Benedict Cumberbatch called on male stars to reject work if their female counterparts are being paid less than them.
He suggested, too, that actors ought to ask their female co-stars what they’re being paid in a bid to tackle the inequality.
Benedict explained: "Equal pay and a place at the table are the central tenets of feminism. Look at your quotas.
"Ask what women are paid, and say, ‘If she’s not paid the same as the men, I’m not doing it.’"
Salma Hayek offers a solution to the gender pay gap
