Mark Wahlberg found himself the centre of some controversy this week when it was announced that he’d been paid $1.5 million for the reshoots to remove Kevin Spacey from Ridley Scott’s All the Money in the World, whereas the rest of the cast worked per diem, with top-billed Michelle Williams being paid less than $1000 in total.
USA Today subsequently reported that Wahlberg’s contract granted him co-star approval and that Wahlberg and his management team refused to sign off on Christopher Plummer unless he received the $1.5 million. TMZ also claimed that Scott had not been told about the salary negotiations, and felt “betrayed” by Wahlberg given that he was under the impression that everyone was working for next to nothing.
As you might expect, this all caused a bit of a stir, and Wahlberg has now moved to try and calm the situation by revealing that he is donating his reshoot salary to the #TimesUp fund, while Wahlberg, William and Scott’s agency WME is also donating $500,000. The #TimesUp fund was set up last year to provide legal support to victims of sexual abuse and harassment.
SEE ALSO: Read our review of All the Money in the World here
“Over the last few days my reshoot fee for All The Money in the World has become an important topic of conversation,” said Wahlberg. “I 100% support the fight for fair pay and I’m donating the $1.5 million to the Time’s Up Legal Defense Fund in Michelle Williams’ name.”
ALL THE MONEY IN THE WORLD follows the kidnapping of 16-year-old John Paul Getty III (Charlie Plummer) and the desperate attempt by his devoted mother Gail (Michelle Williams) to convince his billionaire grandfather (Christopher Plummer) to pay the ransom.
When Getty Sr. refuses, Gail attempts to sway him as her son’s captors become increasingly volatile and brutal. With her son’s life in the balance, Gail and Getty’s advisor (Mark Wahlberg) become unlikely allies in the race against time that ultimately reveals the true and lasting value of love over money.
