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PEOPLE & ARTS Tuesday 30 July 2019
Actresses of color make equal-pay quest a group effort

Associated Press her own productions.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Ac- While African American
tresses of color are getting actresses fight for pay that
more roles and acclaim, matches the stardom and
but not commensurate critical acclaim they've
money. Recognizing that achieved after decades of
achieving change isn't struggle, the scant number
a solo act, they looked of leading roles for actress-
for help — and found it in es of Asian and Latino de-
each other. scent is a different burden.
Giving colleagues a peek Even with the box-office
at their paychecks, speak- hit "Crazy Rich Asians," the
ing out about economic sitcom "Fresh Off the Boat"
disparity and using hard- and Sandra Oh's success
won success to boost oth- in "Killing Eve," actors with
ers are among the mea- Asian roots struggle to get
sures slowly gaining trac- lead roles and commensu-
tion in an industry where rate pay, said Nancy Wang
most actors are hunting Yuen, a Biola University pro-
for their next freelance job fessor and author of "Reel
and women of color face Inequality: Hollywood Ac-
entrenched barriers. tors and Racism."
"One of the first things we "There isn't a kind of a con-
say is, 'Find out what the sistent platform advocat-
people around you are ing for Asians in Hollywood,
making,'" said entertain- and that's part of the prob-
ment lawyer Nina Shaw, a lem," she said.
founding member of Times Jennifer Lopez made a
Up, the organization cre- huge leap for Latinas with
ated in 2018 to fight sexual 1997's "Selena," becoming
misconduct and workplace the first Hispanic actress to
inequality. "And more and This Dec. 10, 2018 file photo shows actresses Jessica Alba, left, and Gabrielle Union at an NBA earn $1 million. The impor-
more, we're finding that basketball game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Miami Heat in Los Angeles. tance of that payday has
people are willing to talk to Associated Press grown in retrospect, said
each other." Lopez, who recalled that
Without knowledge of what continues advising women 61 percent they represent and settled on Jessica Alba she felt undeserving and
other actors with a similar one-on-one as they learn among U.S. women. ("Sin City," ''Dark Angel"). As even ashamed of her suc-
track record are getting for to navigate Hollywood's Asked if industry racism is executive producer of the cess at the time.
equivalent work, "you are intricate system, which she at play, Union, who won a Spectrum TV series, Union "But now I realize that it was
way behind the eight ball," said is more challenging contract dispute with me- was positioned to make important because our
said Gabrielle Union ("Think than the still-growing indus- dia giant Viacom-owned that happen — and ensure community needed that
Like a Man," ''Being Mary try in her native Mexico. BET over her series "Being that Alba was fairly com- boost to say, 'Yes, we are
Jane"). What performers earn is dif- Mary Jane," had a ready pensated. just as much value as any
Changing entrenched be- ficult to verify, say research- reply. "Because of the way my other actor (in) a leading
havior takes time, Union ers who track film and TV "Based on the numbers that deal is set up, I had no role in Hollywood, in a big
said, but "little by little we're employment. Privacy con- I know that black women, problem giving back mon- film," Lopez said.
communicating, and wom- cerns are one obvious rea- Latinas, Asian women, in- ey to make sure Jessica "Everybody knows there is
en of color, specifically son, as are the complex digenous actors are mak- Alba gets paid what Jes- racism, there is sexism ....
black women, are like, 'Oh, deals that include com- ing, there is no other logical sica Alba is worth," Union it all exists. It's just about us
hell nah.' We are so woeful- pensation for acting and reason why we are paid said. "But you have to have getting to the point of you
ly underpaid, under-appre- other work (as with HBO's what we are paid versus the studio, the network, ev- realizing what you're worth
ciated, disrespected." "Big Little Lies," which Reese what our contemporaries eryone to sign off on that." and who you are," she said.
Ana de la Reguera ("Pow- Witherspoon and Nicole are paid who are lacking Asserting one's economic Awkwafina, the young
er," upcoming film "Army of Kidman starred in and pro- melanin," she said. value can be complicated breakout star of "Crazy Rich
the Dead") saw the value duced). Less work means fewer when the sensitive subject Asians" and "The Farewell,"
of networking as part of But there is research that chances for an actress to of ethnicity is involved, finds herself in a similar posi-
"Latinas Who Lunch," an adds weight to complaints build a resume and the fan even for celebrated ac- tion but forced to navigate
informal group started by of disparity. In the latest base that leads to more tress Viola Davis, an Oscar among established ac-
Eva Longoria. Actresses, as San Diego State University and better roles. Yet box- and Emmy winner. In a tresses fed up with the sta-
well as writers and direc- analysis of TV's broadcast, office receipts and TV rat- 2018 interview Davis said tus quo and past ready to
tors, gathered to share their cable and streaming pro- ings show that audiences that while people have make waves.
experiences and job and grams, women had 40 per- embrace projects with termed her "a black Meryl "Maybe I should inform
career building tips. cent of the speaking roles multiethnic casts, accord- Streep" she isn't paid what myself how getting paid
"We were actually en- while men had 60 percent ing to an annual Hollywood she's worth. works but, at this point, I'm
couraging each other to, in 2017-18 despite the gen- diversity report from the Davis later felt compelled a newcomer. ... And I don't
say, shadow (observe) a ders being evenly split in the University of California, Los to offer a public apology, know what I should be get-
director, ask to direct an population. Further limiting Angeles. telling The Associated Press ting," she said. "But I think if
episode, ask to be the ex- opportunities for women Union wanted an estab- she doesn't compare her- I continue to deliver prod-
ecutive producer," de la of color: 67 percent of all lished actress playing op- self to Streep, others do, ucts that are doing well
Reguera said. The #MeToo female roles went to white posite her in "L.A.'s Finest," and that she was taking and that are well-received,
movement consumed their actresses, the study found. which spins off Union's char- responsibility for making the I should be compensated
attention last year, but she That exceeds the almost acter from "Bad Boys II," most of her potential with fairly, right?"q