Albeit feeling 'undervalued' in Hollywood, the 'Being Mary Jane' star spills on her frustration for fearing she could lose her job if she starts speaking up about the pay gap between actresses.
- Nov 20, 2018
AceShowbiz - Gabrielle Union has opened up about feeling "undervalued" in terms of pay in Hollywood.
In an interview with online magazine Porter Edit, alongside fellow TV stars Ellen Pompeo, "Jane the Virgin" star Gina Rodriguez and "American Horror Story" actress Emma Roberts, Gabrielle spoke on the difficulties of addressing the pay gap between white actors and women of colour.
"You feel like a jacka*s; you feel like you should just be grateful and be quiet because it's more (money) thank others (make)," she told Porter Edit about pay negotiations. "But at the same time, when those lists come out, when Forbes drops the top-paid actresses in television or the top-paid actresses in film, and there's no women of colour on it, it's like well why didn't you speak up?"
The 46-year-old added her team often fear that, by pushing for more money, the "Being Mary Jane" star could lose out on a job altogether.
"It's like, do I want to be part of a project where they don't really value me? But (they) somehow saw the value in all these other people, and that value comes with a very clear number that isn't anywhere close to what we're asking for."
"I'm asking for a crumb compared to what you've actually paid and not gotten a return on... You just wanna work, but there comes a point where you think I'm not gonna feel good on set if I'm undervalued and my money doesn't match my contribution."
The "Bring It On" actress, whose BET show was cancelled in October 2017, recently welcomed a daughter via surrogate. Gabrielle and husband Dwyane Wade revealed their new baby's name, Kaavia James Union Wade, on Thursday, November 15, and at the weekend she posted a photo of herself holding their baby and looking content.
"Just greazzzy and happy. That is all (sic)," she captioned the snap, before explaining that Kaavia is "pronounced Kah-Vee-Uh James."
