Mark Wahlberg found himself at the center of a burgeoning controversy when it was reported he received 1,500 times more money than his All the Money in the Worldcostar Michelle Williams for the film’s reshoots. Now, the actor is trying to make amends.
Mark Wahlberg and his agency, William Morris Endeavor (WME), announced a collective donation of $2 million to Time’s Up to be made in Williams’ name.
“Over the last few days my reshoot fee for All the Money in the World has become an important topic of conversation,” he said in a statement released to press on Saturday. “I 100 percent 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.”
“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,” WME added. “In recognition of the pay discrepancy on the All the Money in the World reshoots, WME is donating an additional $500,000 to the Time’s Up Legal Defense Fund in Michelle Williams’ name, following our $1 million pledge to the organization earlier this month. It’s crucial that this conversation continues within our community and we are committed to being part of the solution.”
The Time’s Up Legal Defense Fund was established to provide legal support for women and men who have experienced sexual harassment, sexual assault, or abuse in the workplace or in pursuit of their careers. As of the publication of this article, no donation in the previously announced amount had been listed on the GoFundMe page under Williams’ name.
Williams responded to the news in a statement obtained by EW, saying, “Today isn’t about me. My fellow actresses stood by me and stood up for me, my activist friends taught me to use my voice, and the most powerful men in charge, they listened and they acted. If we truly envision an equal world, it takes equal effort and sacrifice. Today is one of the most indelible days of my life because of Mark Wahlberg, WME and a community of women and men who share in this accomplishment. Anthony Rapp, for all the shoulders you stood on, now we stand on yours.”
In November, the Washington Post reported that Wahlberg would receive a much higher payday than Williams and other costars for the reshoots. USA Today also reported earlier this week that Wahlberg received $1.5 million for the All the Money in the World reshoots and Williams earned less than $1,000.
When director Ridley Scott replaced Kevin Spacey with Christopher Plummer in the wake of sexual misconduct allegations, Scott, his cast, and his crew returned to set over the Thanksgiving holiday to reshoot scenes. In previous interviews, the filmmaker said, “Everyone did it for nothing.”
“I’m so very proud to be a part of this — we’re all here for Ridley,” Williams had told EW on set. “When this idea was hatched, I immediately started to feel better. This doesn’t do anything to ease the suffering of people who were all too personally affected by Kevin Spacey, but it is our little act of trying to right a wrong. And it sends a message to predators — you can’t get away with this anymore. Something will be done.”
Jessica Chastain, Amber Tamblyn, Judd Apatow, and Billy Eichner were among those in Hollywood criticizing the pay gap between Wahlberg and Williams. As host of the Critics Choice Awards, Olivia Munn also took a comedic jab at Wahlberg while on stage with Niecy Nash.
“I do want to say thank you to the producers for paying Niecy and I the same amount of money and Mark Wahlberg $1 million,” she said. “He took a pay cut, so that’s really nice and generous of him. Thank you so much.”
Adding to the backlash, USA Today also reported that Wahlberg refused to approve Plummer as Spacey’s replacement unless he was paid $1 million for the reshoots. Reps for Wahlberg and WME did not immediately respond to EW’s request for comment at the time.
To donate to the Time’s Up Legal Defense Fund, which will provide subsidized legal support to women and men in all industries who have experienced sexual harassment, assault, or abuse in the workplace, visit its GoFundMe page. Learn more about Time’s Up, an organization of women in entertainment combating sexual harassment and inequality, on its website.
(EW)
