Sienna Miller Says Chadwick Boseman Took Pay Cut To Ensure Fair Pay

Late actor Chadwick Boseman believed in pay parity. It was recently revealed that Sienna Miller, Boseman's co-star in 21 Bridges, had been initially offered less money and he fought for an equal pay for Miller. The Black Panther actor, Boseman “donated” a portion of his salary so that her fee could be equalled, the actress revealed.

Gender-based pay disparity is an issue that affects Hollywood like most other industries. Miller opened up to Empire magazine about how he stood up for her during the tough time and ensured she was paid equal, so she could continue working as a co-producer on the movie. He was also one of the producers of the 2019 cop thriller alongside his Marvel collaborators Anthony and Joe Russo.

Black Panther star Boseman passed away at age 43 on August 28 after a four-year-long battle with colon cancer. The superhero film reportedly became the first superhero film to get a Best Picture nomination at the Academy Awards. 

What did Chadwick's 21 Bridges co-star say?

Miller noted, “He was a fan of my work, which was thrilling, because it was reciprocated from me to him, tenfold. So he approached me to do it, he offered me this film, and it was at a time when I really didn’t want to work anymore. I’d been working non-stop and I was exhausted, but then I wanted to work with him.”

"He approached me to do it, he offered me this film, and it was at a time when I really didn't want to work anymore."

According to Miller, during the filming of 21 Bridges, she asked for a salary that the studio refused even though it was a big-budget film. She said it was “an inconvenient time” because "I was hesitant to go back to work and my daughter was starting school." She was ready to give up. “I said, ‘I’ll do it if I’m compensated in the right way.’ And Chadwick ended up donating some of his salary to get me to the number that I had asked for,” she recounted. “He said that that was what I deserved to be paid.”

She claimed that Boseman also played an instrumental role in securing her the role of detective Frankie Burns, a role that was originally written as a male character. “It was about the most astounding thing that I’ve experienced,” the 38-year-old actor, Miller said.

Feature Image Credits: NME.com

Also Read: The Gender Pay Gap In Sport: Why We Must Talk About It

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