Internet scam
By RTL Boulevard ·2 hours ago·Modified: 0 minutes ago
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Normally it is always a matter of guessing what an actor or actress gets paid for a film, but this did not seem to be the case with the ‘Wicked’ cast. A list of ‘the actors’ salaries’ went around on social media, showing a large ‘pay difference’ between Ariana Grande (31) and Cynthia Erivo (37). Now that the list has provoked many indignant reactions, producer ‘Universal’ has issued an explanation. Universal calls the list ‘completely incorrect’ and there is no wage difference.
“Cynthia plays the main character, this makes no sense”
Ariana and Cynthia both have major roles in the film adaptation of the musical. Ariana plays Glinda, while Cynthia takes on the role of Elphaba. On the list denied by Universal, Ariana would be up for her role Wicked received $15 million, while Cynthia received $1 million. Michelle Yeoh and Jeff Goldblum would both have received $2 million, while Jonathan Bailey would have to make do with $450,000. This appears to have come out of the blue.
The list quickly caused indignant reactions at X. “I don’t like the fact that Ariana Grande is getting more than $10 million extra,” one person responded. “Cynthia is the main character, this makes no sense,” another responded. “I really don’t believe that Ariana has such a bigger audience that it justifies her getting almost 15 times as much as Cynthia,” someone else wrote.
Now that the ‘wage gap’ is going viral, I feel Wicked-producer Universal the need to respond to the list. “Reports about pay disparities between Cynthia and Ariana are completely false and based on internet gossip,” a spokesperson said in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter. ‘Both actresses received equal pay for their work Wicked.’
Welcome to the latest episode of "Celebrities Getting Paid a Lot of Money for Doing Very Little"…I mean, "Wicked" news. So, it seems that an "alleged" list of actor salaries for the upcoming film adaptation of "Wicked" made its way onto the internet, and people are up in arms. Because, you know, the thing that really matters in life is how much money a 31-year-old pop star is making compared to a 37-year-old actress. I mean, it’s not like there are more pressing issues in the world or anything.
According to this utterly believable and not-at-all-made-up list, Ariana Grande (AKA the human version of a unicorn who poops rainbows) is set to rake in a whopping $15 million for her role as Glinda, while Cynthia Erivo (AKA the human version of a talented actress who can actually sing) is only getting a paltry $1 million for playing the lead role of Elphaba. I mean, what’s the point of being the main character if you’re not getting paid more than the secondary lead who’s only there to look pretty and warble a few high notes?
But wait, it gets better. Michelle Yeoh and Jeff Goldblum, both legends in their own right, are reportedly only getting $2 million each. Now, I’m no math expert, but that seems like a pretty sweet deal for a couple of Oscar winners who are probably just phoning it in at this point in their careers. And poor Jonathan Bailey – the guy’s stuck with a measly $450,000. Maybe he should consider selling some of his fancy British teeth to supplement his income.
Of course, this list had to have come from a super reliable source, because, you know, the internet is always 100% true… said no one ever. And yet, people are eating it up like it’s a free all-you-can-eat buffet at the "I’m a Celeb who Cares About Pay Equity" convention.
But fear not, folks, because Universal, the production company behind "Wicked", has stepped in to set the record straight. Or, you know, to just straight-up deny the whole thing and hope everyone forgets about it. "Reports about pay disparities between Cynthia and Ariana are completely false and based on internet gossip," a spokesperson said, in a statement that’s about as convincing as a Donald Trump tweet at 3 AM.
So there you have it, folks. The great "Wicked" pay gap scandal of 2023. Stay tuned for more updates, or, you know, just go ahead and assume that everyone involved is lying, and the truth is still out there… somewhere… probably on the dark web… or something.
P.S. Can we all just take a moment to appreciate the irony of a movie about witches and deception being embroiled in a controversy about fake news?
Internet scam
By RTL Boulevard ·2 hours ago·Modified: 0 minutes ago