Kitty

Taraji P. Henson says her fee for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button was less than 2% of Brad Pitt's. After taxes and her team, about $40,000 was left. The film made $335 million. "I'm just tired of working so hard, being gracious at what I do, getting paid a fraction of the cost." She said it on SiriusXM in December 2023, during the press tour for The Color Purple. Her role earned her an Oscar nomination. She says she also paid for her own housing during the shoot. Her math, in her words: "Uncle Sam is getting 50%." The case for Taraji: the film made hundreds of millions, her work got an Oscar nomination, and her take-home was smaller than many salaries. The case for the studio: Brad Pitt sold the tickets, she signed for a supporting role, and pay follows box office power. In the video below, she breaks down where an actor's money goes. If your work helps a movie make $335 million, should a supporting role ever get a share of the profits?