The movie has generated rave reviews . Do better, Hollywood! It is not known exactly how much Brad Pitt was paid for his leading role in 2008's The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, a role which earned Pitt an Oscar nomination. The actress writes: Both Brad and Cate got millionsWith bated breath, I sat by the phone for hours, waiting for [my manager] to call and tell me the number that I thought would make me feel good: somewhere in the mid six figures no doubt a mere percentage of what Brad was bringing home to Angelina and their beautiful babies, but something worthy of a solid up-and-coming actress with a decent amount of critical acclaim for her work. Producer Ray Stark bought the film rights to do the short story in the mid-1980s with Universal Pictures backing the film, but struggled to get the project off the ground until he sold the rights to producers Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall in the 1990s. Mike volunteers the Chelsea for U.S. Navy service, and they are assigned to salvage duties. Because she's a woman? The first choice to direct it was Frank Oz, with Martin Short attached for the title role, but Oz could not work out how to make the story work. Other directors attached were Patrick Read Johnson and Agnieszka Holland. Taraji P. Henson shined in 'Benjamin Button' but Henson says she wasn't paid adequately. Related: Inside Neil Patrick Harris' Net Worth. It was also nominated in ten other categories: Best Motion Picture of the Year, Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role, Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role, Best Achievement in Directing, Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay, Best Achievement in Cinematography, Best Achievement in Film Editing, Best Achievement in Costume Design, Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Score, and Best Achievement in Sound Mixing. In Henson's case, trying to drive a hard bargain wasn't really an option. The actor alleged she was initially eyed for the part of a pregnant Russian sex worker named Daka in 2014's St. Vincent, starring opposite Bill Murray and Melissa McCarthy, but the role ended up going to Naomi Watts. The actress told Variety she expected there to be a pay negotiation (Im a black woman, so I knew it was going to be a fight), but the final offer well below $200,000 was a shock. Glamour may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers. An actor's wages often depend less on how much screen time they have or how prominent a role they play, and more on their "star value" and negotiating skills. I dont open movies like he does, so I cant expect to get what hes getting, Henson said. Insult, meet injury., Henson compared the amount paid to sofa change.. All rights reserved. Henson stated she was paid less than two percent of Brad Pitts salary, despite being the third star on the picture behind Pitt and Cate Blanchett. Ad Choices, Taraji P. Henson's Benjamin Button Salary Was Less Than 2 Percent of Brad Pitt's. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button actress Taraji P. Henson was paid less than 2% of Brad Pitt's salary, and also had to pay for her own accommodation. From high-profile relationships to even higher-profile breakups, the public is fascinated by every aspect of Pitts life. And there was a catch: She also had to pay for her "own location fees while filming in New Orleans." In Murmansk in 1941, Benjamin becomes smitten with Elizabeth Abbott, wife of a British trade minister. Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! She was also forced to pay for her own accommodation while filming, meaning she had to fork out enough for three months of hotels expenses. I cant say [anything back] because youve taken everything from me. I convinced them to add in a little more, but thats as high as theyd go., There was one other thing: Id have to agree to pay my own location fees while filming in New Orleans, meaning three months of hotel expenses would be coming directly out of my pocket. Hurricane Katrina floods a storage room holding Mr. Gateau's clock, which continues to tick backwards. She reveals that Mr. Gateau made it as a memorial for those who lost their sons in World War I, including his own son. "[37], On the other hand, Anne Hornaday of The Washington Post states: "There's no denying the sheer ambition and technical prowess of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. They put asses in seats, so give them their money. [26], As of November 1, 2009, the film had sold 2,515,722 DVD copies and had generated $41,196,515 in sales revenue. Unfortunately, Hollywood hasn't made that much progress since Benjamin Button. I have a problem, and I will speak up. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, a film based loosely on an F. Scott Fitzgerald short story, stars Brad Pitt as a person who is born old and ages backward. She told Laura Brown of Ladies First that she used the money toward her sons tuition. Meanwhile Pitt is starring in Robert Zemeckis WW2 romantic thriller, Allied. The pay gap in Hollywoodhas been a hot topic in recent years, but also a difficult one to pin down since there are so many factors involved. Everyone Practices Cancel Culture | Opinion, Deplatforming Free Speech is Dangerous | Opinion, TV Star Salaries Emblematic of Diversity Problem, Emmys 2016: All the News on 'Game of Thrones' Season 7, Why Daniel Radcliffe Really Wants to Appear on 'GoT', Steven Avery Speaks to Dr. Phil About Getting Engaged. ESSENCE.com is part of ESSENCE Communications, Inc. Movies reported the film received a B+ average score from critical consensus, based on 12 reviews. ), According to Henson, Blanchett and Pitt received "millions" for their roles in the filmbut she didn't expect that much. "Me? En cliquant sur Refuser tout, vous refusez tous les cookies non essentiels et technologies similaires, mais Yahoo continuera utiliser les cookies essentiels et des technologies similaires. Source: Around the Way Girl (via The Guardian), Hannah has been with Screen Rant since 2013, covering news, features, movie premieres, Comic-Con and more! And they gave me $100,000. In 1990, recently widowed Daisy is contacted by social workers who found Benjamin, who is now physically a pre-teen. He appeared in the movie for $10 million So yeah, we dont feel too sorry for him. I felt like what I was asking, at that time of my career, was fair to the ticket sales that I would contribute to this big film, she said. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Im not saying they shouldnt get what theyre getting. According to the actor that meant "three months of hotel expenses would be coming directly out of my pocket. [13] By filming in Louisiana and taking advantage of the state's film incentive, the production received $27 million, which was used to finance a significant portion of the film's $167 million budget. Between August 2017 . Honeycutt praised Fincher's directing of the film and noted that the "cinematography wonderfully marries a palette of subdued earthen colors with the necessary CGI and other visual effects that place one in a magical past." In another chapter of the book, titled "On Being a Black Woman in Hollywood," Henson spoke about being edged out of a role that was specifically written for her. Paramount Pictures/Warner Bros Pictures/Kobal/Shutterstock. All Rights Reserved. [11] The following October, with production yet to begin, Julia Ormond was cast as Daisy's daughter, to whom Blanchett's character tells the story of her love for Benjamin Button. Brad Pitt was born on Dec. 18, 1963 in Shawnee, Oklahoma. Their daughter, Caroline, is born in the spring of 1968. He also gained around 20 pounds of muscle to play the Greek warriorso he made almost a million per pound! I felt like what I was asking, at that time of my career, was fair to the ticket sales that I would contribute to this big film, Henson recalled of trying to negotiate her salary. Henson continues to star on Empire, which is currently in its fifth season on Fox. But Henson's ordeal illustrates more than just unequal pay: It illustrates unequal treatment. When all was said and done, Pitt ended up earning around $30 million for his role in the hit movie. "Time and again, I've lost roles because someone with the ability to greenlight a film couldn't see black women beyond a very limited purview he or she thought 'fit' audience expectations," the actor writes. She requested $500,000 but was offered $150,000. "[40], Peter Bradshaw in The Guardian called it "166 minutes of twee tedium", giving it one star out of five. I would have loved it. He reconnects with Daisy and she attempts to seduce him but Benjamin refuses and she departs. You can follow her on Twitter @HSW3K, Empire Star Reveals Shocking Benjamin Button Pay Gap Details, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008). In October 1998, screenwriter Robin Swicord wrote for director Ron Howard an adapted screenplay of the short story, a project which would potentially star actor John Travolta. Henson said the salary was a bump up from the original salary offer of $100,000, a far cry from the half a million she was expecting considering she was the third billed actress in a David Fincher studio movie. Their marriage notoriously ended due to his alleged affair with future ex-wife Angelina Jolie during the making of 2005s Mr. and Mrs. Smith. I didn't buy it for a second. Sign up for our Email Newsletters here. The film was a box office success, grossing $335.8 million worldwide against its $167 million budget. Copyright 2023 Endgame360 Inc. All Rights Reserved. "I didn't get mad at Sony," Lawrence wrote. Thats it, Henson said. According to Paris Match and People Magazine, Pitt made Ins fly to Paris separately (weird) and then they went to dinner at Fouquet's on the Champs-lyses. [17], In March 2007, production moved to Los Angeles for two more months of filming. Actor starred alongside Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett in the movie, Find your bookmarks in your Independent Premium section, under my profile. Principal photography was targeted to last a total of 150 days. Sounds like money well spent. Henson starred in the film alongside Hollywood's established stars Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett. Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? I want to make this very clear Im not saying that Brad or Cate shouldnt have gotten what they got, Henson told Variety about the pay gap. All I was asking was $500,000 thats all we were asking for.. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button was released in North America on December 25, 2008 to positive reviews from critics, who praised Fincher's directing, Pitt's performance, production values, and visual effects. Pitt and Jolie share six children, three biological and three adopted. However, despite the fact that she was also a superstar and even had an Oscar to her name, his future wife Angelina Jolie pulled in half that salary at $10 million. When she arrives, they explain that he was living in a condemned building, was taken to the hospital in poor physical condition, and that his diary had her name on it. ', "There was one other thing: Id have to agree to pay my own location fees while filming in New Orleans, meaning three months of hotel expenses would be coming directly out of my pocket. "[36], A. O. Scott of The New York Times states: "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, more than two and a half hours long, sighs with longing and simmers with intrigue while investigating the philosophical conundrums and emotional paradoxes of its protagonists condition in a spirit that owes more to Jorge Luis Borges than to Fitzgerald." In her 2016 memoir Around the Way Girl, Henson claimed that she was responsible for paying for her own travel and lodging expenses during the filming process. 2023 Cond Nast. The 225 Best Horror Movies of All Time And, lets be honest, hes earned a good deal of money through his endorsement deals too. Alas, I couldn't get served at that particular restaurant.". Actress Taraji P. Henson is continuing to talk about her paycheck from the 2008 film "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.". At the Academy Awards the film won in three categories: Best Achievement in Art Direction, Best Achievement in Makeup, and Best Achievement in Visual Effects. Henson says she pocked just $40k but was later paid millions by Tyler Perry. Im not allowed to be angry? I would have loved it. Pitt played J.D., a cowboy-hat-wearing small-time crook who ends up seducing Geena Davis Thelma and then robbing the duo. | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Essence.com Advertising Terms. She shined as a self-absorbed nightclub singer who learns put others first after being granted custody of her three nieces and nephews. The latest reveal comes from Henson who played Queenie in 2008s The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. Stars like Jennifer Lawrence have spoken up about male co-stars being paid more than their female counterparts. 2023 ESSENCE Communications Inc. All Rights Reserved. The data also found a disturbing trend that other black actors on television, including the recently Emmy-nominated stars of sitcom black-ish, Tracee Ellis Ross and Anthony Anderson, were earning less than their white contemporaries. By the late 90s, Brad Pitt was reportedly earning around $17.5 million per movie for his acting roles. "It was a meaty gig. [6] Screenwriter Charlie Kaufman had also written a draft of the adapted screenplay at one point. IndieWire is a part of Penske Media Corporation. The movie was filmed in New Orleans where Henson stayed for three months in a hotel suite. [The studio] wouldnt do itand then I was gutted.. Empireis ratings gold and Henson has racked up numerous nominations and wins for her role as Cookie Lyon. Henson said she refuses to sell herself short and knows what shes worth because she has the track record to prove it. The actress also said she approaches salaries from a fair perspective. If I work with Brad [Pitt] again, Im still not going to ask for what hes getting. How much did Brad Pitt get paid for Benjamin Button? Pitt also was a producer on the film, which went on to earn six Oscar nominations, including two for Pitt, one for acting and one for producing the Best Picture nominee. Taraji P Henson 'gutted' over Benjamin Button salary: 'I felt like what I was asking for was fair' Actor starred alongside Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett in the movie Where Henson stayed for three months of hotel expenses would be coming directly out of my pocket ended! 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