How much is a movie star worth? Jennifer Lawrence is priceless...
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Jennifer and Me
Many of the top stars in Hollywood apparently sign film contracts nowadays that pay them a percentage of the gross receipts rather than a fixed amount. If the film is a big hit, the payoff can be big also. For example, rather than accepting say, $25 million, for a starring role our star in question opts for 9 percent of the gross receipts. And let’s say the film pulls in $800 million. His or her payday would jump from $25 million to $72 million. And that is a nice jump. These numbers put them all out of my league, but the numbers are interesting, especially to the stars.
Recently, Jennifer Lawrence opined that she and other women were getting the shaft in such contracts (sorry, but there seems to be no other way of putting it). She said the hack job on Sony studios files revealed that she and others were signing on for 7 percent of the gross, while male stars were receiving 9 percent. That 2 percent difference would amount to $16 million in our example above. The gossip issue of the day, therefore, is this: Is Jennifer Lawrence worth $16 million less than Tom Cruise in a high grossing film?
Let’s look at this issue from a consumer’s point of view. Let’s say that you or I go to a movie and pay $10 for a ticket to get in. (I don’t know what the cost is these days, but 10 bucks was the going rate about 15 years ago when I last entered one of those places with 8 or 10 movies all running at the same time).
The question that tugs away at my taste buds is this: Should Jennifer get 70 cents of my fee, or 90 cents? And Tom Cruise is the guy who completes my frame of reference. Put another way, who gives my heart strings a greater tug, Jennifer of Tom?
After serious and considerable thought (2 milliseconds), I must agree with Jennifer. When she appears on the Big Screen, she stirs my juices and puts my mind onto a roller coaster of naughty emotions. I can’t settle down for a week or more. With Cruise I flat line on cruise control.
And so, Jennifer, I am on your side (in a manner of speaking). In fact, I’ve got your back in this issue. And to be up front about it, you will likely be sending tingles up and down my spine for the next 25 years. Is that worth 20 cents to me? To be fair the studios should flat line Cruise and open end Jenifer to whatever the public wants. As for me, I soar way past Cloud 9 with Jennifer. I am up there where no man has gone before. Pay up, Hollywood. Fair is fair. Two hours (plus one week) fantasizing with Jennifer is worth 10 boring cruises of flat lining with Tom. If 20 cents translates to $20 million, I say “Go Jennifer!” You and my fantasies are worth every penny.
I agree with John. No one is worth that kind of money (esp. the likes of Hollywood types and oil company execs) unless they've done something worthy of it. Like cure cancer or end world hunger/poverty/wars, and you know what's funny about that? A lot of those people would probably either not accept the money or they would funnel it back into research and/or social programs to do more good. So, sorry. The making of entertainment doesn't come close to being so worthy.
And one more thing...why in the h*ll is Cruise, who only plays at influencing world events, making more money than the President of the United States, who does no less than hold the fate of the world in his hand, or rather, a certain brief case full of deadly codes???
Rebecca
Your unattainable, unfulfilled infatuations aside, I agree with you, to a point. I also agree with John. Entertainment compensation in almost every field is unfair. It was much worse in the past, and is just now, for some reason, coming to the forefront. In entertainment, like almost all areas of American business, the stars' compensation is far outpacing the rest of the cast's hard-working contribution to making the stars what they are.
There are exceptions. For example, a lackluster pro golfer on the PGA circuit with a degree in golf from a average college can make a very good living traveling around the country chasing the little white ball without ever winning a tournament or even finishing in the top 20.
On the other hand, the gender issue is tragic in this day and age. Recently, top tennis pros have pointed out that while women's tennis events bring four times the revenue that men's tennis events do, women are paid half as much. Where is the fairness and that?
I'm all for equitable salaries for men and women in the movie industry. As a whole, the buck never stops with such inflated salaries when it comes to entertainment.
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