Actress Aunjanue Ellis recently opened up about her experience filming the Academy Award-nominated movie “King Richard” alongside Will Smith and how the veteran actor helped fellow co-stars receive salary raises after she presented the issue of pay equality to the movie’s leading star.
During an appearance last week on 105.9’s “The Breakfast Club” with co-hosts Charlemagne Tha God, Angela Yee, and DJ Envy, the 53-year-old star clarified reports about Smith gifting cast members a bonus following the film’s performance.
“He did, but I think what’s important to say about that … and I think it’s important that I say this. As I said, after you get the job, the fight is not over. You know you have to fight for equal pay and that kind of thing. I did that job, and I’m thankful for it, but I could have gotten paid better. So I told him this, and he did something about it,” the California native explained.
She continued, “As a result of his doing, his responding to the letter that I wrote to him, not only did he address that with increasing my pay, but the other actors in the movie also got their pay increased, which is the proof of when the Black women do well, everybody does well.”
When asked why the salary increase was reported as a “bonus,” the “Lovecraft Country” star said, “That’s how he wants to frame it, that’s his word,” before noting that there were matters far more pressing. “I think it’s important that first of all, people know who this man is and what he did, and also that Black women still have to fight to get paid equally,” continued.
She also clarified an agent’s responsibility in securing fair pay for entertainers. While she couldn’t speak for everyone in the industry, the star said, “Whoever your agent is, they can fight for the best thing for you, but if you are working within a system that doesn’t believe that the work of Black women is as important as the work of white men, no matter how much they fight, it doesn’t matter because that’s still a reality.”
She added, “There’s not a Black woman in the world who has had my path, essentially, that doesn’t have that story.”
Actor and co-star Tony Goldwyn echoed something similar last November “I’ve been doing this for over 30 years. I have never worked with anyone as generous as Will. What you said [he gave bonuses/gifts to all of the talent] is true,” Goldwyn said.
He added, “When this movie, when Warner Brothers decided not to release it, to put it out on streaming, there was a lot of controversy as people know and we just got a call from Will saying, ‘I’m going to make this right.’ I’ve never experienced it, I was floored. I just couldn’t believe it.”
“King Richard” follows Richard Williams, portrayed by Smith, and his journey to write his daughters Venus and Serena Williams into history by becoming tennis superstars and earned several nominations including Best Picture, Best Film Editing, and Best Original Screenplay.
Ellis received her career-first Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her part as Richard’s wife Oracene ‘Brandy’ Williams, while Smith earned a nomination for Best Actor. The 94th annual Academy Awards ceremony is set to take place on Sunday, March 27m at 8 p.m.
