[7] In June 2003, director Gary Ross entered final negotiations to helm the project based on a new draft penned by screenwriter Eric Roth. The film won all four awards it was nominated for at the 7th Visual Effects Society Awards, the categories of "Outstanding Visual Effects in a Visual Effects-Driven Feature Motion Picture," "Best Single Visual Effect of the Year," "Outstanding Animated Character in a Live Action Feature Motion Picture," and "Outstanding Compositing in a Feature Motion Picture.". . By the late 90s, Brad Pitt was reportedly earning around $17.5 million per movie for his acting roles. The film received thirteen Academy Award nominations, the most of the 81st Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director for Fincher, Best Actor for Pitt, and Best Supporting Actress for Taraji P. Henson, and won three, for Best Art Direction, Best Makeup, and Best Visual Effects. Vous pouvez modifier vos choix tout moment en consultant vos paramtres de vie prive. Alas, that request was dead on arrival. Moreover, she explains that if she had tried to refuse the offerthen the studio could have easily replaced her with any number of brilliant actresses: "The math really is pretty simple: there are way more talented black actresses than there are intelligent, meaningful roles for them, and were consistently charged with diving for the crumbs of the scraps, lest we starve. Henson was paid less than 2% of Brad Pitt's salary on Benjamin Button, How 'Benjamin Button' illness could hold key to eternal youth, Henson said Pitt and Blanchett were paid millions in comparison, Henson was the third star in the movie behind Pitt and Blanchett, Brad Pitt kisses Marion Cotillard in new Allied trailer, Brad Pitt death hoax: Facebook users warned over scam. The Night of 12 won ! He reconnects with Daisy and she attempts to seduce him but Benjamin refuses and she departs. Shewill also star in the upcominghighly anticipatedfilmHidden Figures, a movie many believe has tons of Oscar potential. But Henson and other black actresses openly discussing these issues is a great way to move the dial along. Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Simply put, she is killing it. The actress opened the box office hit What Men Want earlier this year and next stars in the drama The Best of Enemies, in theaters April 5. Its hard for many of us to think of a time before Brad Pitt was famous. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button was originally slated for theatrical release in May 2008,[23] but it was pushed back to November 26, 2008. Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt Are Divorcing 'For the Health of the Family', it appears Willis actually just donated his salary to charity, the insensitive handling of some of its subject matter, Brad Pitt Accuses Angelina Jolie of Harming Wine Brand, Brad Pitt agreed to take a cut to his usual salary request, Brad Pitts asking price for movie roles was $17.5 million. Henson starred in Perrys 2009 film adaption of his popular stage play I Can Do Bad All By Myself. However, it wasnt until his role in Ridley Scotts 1991 modern-day feminist classic Thelma & Louise that Pitt earned major attention. Insult, meet injury.". Henson starred alongside Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett in the 2008 film. In 1947, Benjamin visits Daisy in New York unannounced, but departs upon seeing she is romantically involved with someone else. [21], The score to The Curious Case of Benjamin Button was written by French composer Alexandre Desplat, who recorded his score with an 87-piece ensemble of the Hollywood Studio Symphony at the Sony Scoring Stage.[22]. The film stars Brad Pitt as a man who ages in reverse and Cate Blanchett as the love interest throughout his life. This is exactly how a studio can get away with paying the person whos name is third on the call sheet of a big-budget film less than 2% what its paying the person whose name is listed first. Henson said the salary was a bump up from the original salary offer of $100,000, a far cry from the half a million she was expecting considering she was the third billed actress in a David Fincher studio movie. On Thanksgiving 1930, Benjamin meets seven-year-old Daisy, whose grandmother lives in the nursing home and they connect instantly. Lolita Banana discovered drag in 2018 while salsa dancing at a campsite in France. The Hollywood pay gap has been a controversial topic over the last few years. But dont tell anyone I told you, because were not supposed to talk about Fight Club. "This is exactly how a studio can get away with paying the person whose name is third on the call sheet of a big-budget film less than 2 percent what it's paying the person whose name is listed first," the actor explained. [10] In September 2006, Tilda Swinton, Jason Flemyng and Taraji P. Henson entered negotiations to be cast into the film. Related: Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt Are Divorcing 'For the Health of the Family'. The studio also attached director Spike Jonze to helm the project. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, a film based loosely on an F. Scott Fitzgerald short story, stars Brad Pitt as a person who is born old and ages backward. Benjamin, physically a young man, returns to Daisy in 1980. [The studio] wouldnt do itand then I was gutted.. An actor's wages often depend less on how much screen time they have or how prominent a role they play, and more on their "star value" and negotiating skills. The Best Picture Race Got a Lot More Confusing This Week, Tom Cruise Made the Rounds This Week, but Other Oscar Nominees Got More Applause Than Top Gun: Maverick, These Oscar Categories Are the Hardest to Predict, Translating the Unconscious Into Images: The Cinematography of Bardo, Poker Face Takes Viewers on a Cross-Country Road Trip Without Leaving New York, Why TR Looks Different from Every Other Movie of 2022, The 50 Best Movies of 2022, According to 165 Critics from Around the World, All 81 Titles Unceremoniously Removed from HBO Max (So Far), 10 Shows Canceled but Not Forgotten in 2022. At the time 1999s Fight Club was being filmed, Brad Pitts asking price for movie roles was $17.5 million, which he received for appearing in the movie. In another chapter of the book, titled "On Being a Black Woman in Hollywood," Henson spoke about being edged out of a role that was specifically written for her. And, lets be honest, hes earned a good deal of money through his endorsement deals too. 'Im sorry, Taraji,' Vince said quietly when we finally connected. [29] Yahoo! The Curious Case of Benjamin Button suggests an addendum: a life lived backwards can be far more enriching" and describes the film as "a magical and moving account of a man living his life resoundingly in reverse" and "moviemaking at its best. I convinced them to add in a little more, but that's as high as they'd go.'". DO BETTER! I have a problem, and I will speak up. As one of the biggest and most sought-after actors in the business, Brad Pitt earns top dollar for his movie roles. Later, he accepts work on the tugboat Chelsea captained by Mike Clark. Or almost. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn commission. In a recent interview on the Ladies First With Laura Brown podcast, Henson reflected on the fee she had requested for the film. Head over to Variety to read Hensons interview in its entirety. Oh! The fact that Henson had to pay her way through filming Benjamin Buttonwhile I'm assuming Pitt and Blanchett did notis beyond screwed up. That December, the United States enters World War II. Henson continues to star on Empire, which is currently in its fifth season on Fox. Around The Way Girlis available in bookstores now. By that point, Pitt was a bonafide star and pretty much had his choice of any project he wanted. Honeycutt praised Fincher's directing of the film and noted that the "cinematography wonderfully marries a palette of subdued earthen colors with the necessary CGI and other visual effects that place one in a magical past." The Criterion release includes over three hours of special features, and a documentary about the making of the film. One particular excerpt details Henson's stomach-churning salary negotiations for her work in 2008's The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. Start your Independent Premium subscription today. Writing in her upcoming memoir Around the Way Girl, actress Taraji P. Henson revealed some stunning details about her salary for David Fincher's 2008 magical realist drama The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. They came in at the lowest of six figures. "Alas, that request was dead on arrival," the actor continues. She played the role of Benjamins adoptive mother Queenie. In her 2016 memoir Around the Way Girl, Henson claimed that she was responsible for paying for her own travel and lodging expenses during the filming process. En cliquant sur Accepter tout, vous acceptez que Yahoo et nos partenaires traitent vos informations personnelles et utilisent des technologies telles que les cookies pour afficher des publicits et des contenus personnaliss, et des fins de mesure des publicits et des contenus, dtude des audiences et de dveloppement de produit. All rights reserved. He opens films so give him his money., But now that I can open films, give me my money, Henson continued, Ive proven it. Offers may be subject to change without notice. No matter how talented, no matter how many accolades my prior work had received, if I pushed for more money, I'd be replaced and no one would so much as a blink.". I knew the stakes: No matter how talented, no matter how many accolades my prior work had received, if I pushed for more money, Id be replaced and no one would so much as blink.". Im not allowed to be angry? [14][15] Filming of Benjamin Button began on November 6, 2006 in New Orleans. Back in 2005, having finally revealed that Benjamin is Caroline's father, Daisy dies. Source: Around the Way Girl (via The Guardian), Hannah has been with Screen Rant since 2013, covering news, features, movie premieres, Comic-Con and more! "I knew the stakes. Digital Domain worked on the visual effects of the film, particularly in the process of the metamorphosis of Pitt's character. Ad Choices, Taraji P. Henson's Benjamin Button Salary Was Less Than 2 Percent of Brad Pitt's. She said that a salary in the "mid six figures" would've sufficed, but film producers couldn't even give her that. He co-starred with Ormond in Legends of the Fall, with Flemyng in Snatch, with Jared Harris in Ocean's Twelve, with Blanchett in Babel and with Swinton in Burn After Reading. It is said the movies love scene is what earned Pitt his status as a sex symbol, which endures to this day. More info. In 1990, recently widowed Daisy is contacted by social workers who found Benjamin, who is now physically a pre-teen. Taraji P. Henson made headlines in October 2016 after revealing she made the equivalent of soft change compared to the millions co-stars Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett earned on The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. Henson said at the time she had to settle for a salary in the low six figure range, but in a new interview with Variety the actress revealed the shockingly low number: $150,000. "[33] Rod Yates of Empire awarded it five out of a possible five stars. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. On the evening of November 11, 1918, a boy is born with the appearance and maladies of an elderly man. That makes her net worth just shy of half of her ex-husbands, as we have already established Pitts net worth as $300 million. He was paid that amount for the part of Achilles in Troy. In May 1945, Benjamin returns to New Orleans, reuniting with Queenie and learns that Mr. Weathers died. We can assume it was most likely in the range of $20 million, as that is Pitts usual asking price. She recalls that on the day she was contacted about meeting with Fincher, she was actually hosting a garage sale to sell off some of her clothes and other possessions. She named the 2014 filmSt. Vincentas one example, saying the role of the pregnant stripper was originally written for her by the films screenwriter and director, TheodoreMelfi, but eventually went to Naomi Watts: It was a meaty gig. The actress told Variety she expected there to be a pay negotiation (Im a black woman, so I knew it was going to be a fight), but the final offer well below $200,000 was a shock. Hurricane Katrina floods a storage room holding Mr. Gateau's clock, which continues to tick backwards. Im not allowed to be pissed off?. Does that make sense to you? Since then, she has made a name for herself in the French drag scene and is also the host of The Brunch and Queen, the most famous drag bunch in Paris.. More recently, Lolita Banana was on Season 1 of RuPaul's Drag Race, France. Scott praised Fincher and writes "Building on the advances of pioneers like Steven Spielberg, Peter Jackson and Robert Zemeckis, Mr. Fincher has added a dimension of delicacy and grace to digital filmmaking" and further states: "While it stands on the shoulders of breakthroughs like Minority Report, The Lord of the Rings and Forrest Gump, Benjamin Button may be the most dazzling such hybrid yet, precisely because it is the subtlest." [5] In May 2000, Paramount hired screenwriter Jim Taylor to adapt a screenplay from the short story. [24] The release date was moved again to December 25 in the United States, January 16, 2009 in Mexico, February 6 in the United Kingdom, February 13 in Italy[25] and February 27 in South Africa. I cant say [anything back] because youve taken everything from me. I didnt even ask them [on Benjamin Button] for a million.. Taraji P. Henson Describes Her Hero, Her Dad, Gwyneth Paltrows Vintage Closet Includes a Dress From Her Brad Pitt Days, The Curve Cut Is Shaping Up to Be the Years Biggest Hair Trend, Emily Ratajkowskis Sheer Black Dress Has an Eve-Inspired Detail. ), According to Henson, Blanchett and Pitt received "millions" for their roles in the filmbut she didn't expect that much. Working from a screenplay by Eric Roth, David Fincher clocks in again as one of the most exciting voices . Principal photography was targeted to last a total of 150 days. Sounds like money well spent. Join half a million readers enjoying Newsweek's free newsletters. Salary Was Less Than 2 Percent of Brad Pitt's. Taraji P. Henson is one of Hollywood's most in-demand actresses. This Article is related to: Film and tagged Pay Gap, Taraji P. Henson, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. According to figures obtained and published by Variety on October 4, Henson and fellow lead actor Terrence Howard earn $175,000 per episode of the Fox series. Do better, Hollywood! Ultimately, Henson took the role because she felt there were so few parts with weight for black actors at the time. Im not allowed to feel that? To revisit this article, visit My Profile, thenView saved stories. In her memoir,Around The Way Girl, theEmpireactress says she received the lowest of six figures as opposed to Pitt andBlanchettslikely million dollar salary despite receiving third billing. Sophie Turner Understands 'Game of Thrones' Pay Gap, Says Kit Harington Deserves Higher Salary I convinced them to add in a little more, but thats as high as theyd go., There was one other thing: Id have to agree to pay my own location fees while filming in New Orleans, meaning three months of hotel expenses would be coming directly out of my pocket. For this role, Pitt was needed on set to film for a half hour total. To revisit this article, select My Account, thenView saved stories. Aglow in the wonderment of time, the film captures the poetry and pain of life with such originality that audiences may not want to awake from the dream the film casts upon them. The actor earned an Oscar nomination for her performance as Queenie in the 2008 movie, the woman who raises Brad Pitts Benjamin, who ages in reverse. For his role with minimal screen time, Pitt still pulled in a cool $2 million, which is reportedly almost as much as leading man Tatum was paid at $2.5 million and actually equal to Daniel Radcliffes salary as the main antagonist. In fact, Henson revealed she took home just $40k for her Oscar-nominated performance in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. He earned praise for his performance, establishing himself as being able to carry a movie. And they gave me $100,000. He typically earns at least $20 million for his acting alone, sometimes with points on the backend that entitle him to a portion of the movies profits. Taking the chance paid off and she was nominated for an Oscar. Taraji P. Henson is currently starring in music industry drama Empire, which airs Wednesday nights on FOX. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is a 2008 American fantasy romantic drama film directed by David Fincher. In her memoir, the actress says she was paid "the equivalent of sofa change" compared to her co-stars and had to foot the bill for her own hotel room. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement and Your California Privacy Rights. The latest reveal comes from Henson who played Queenie in 2008s The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. Pitts salary would most likely not have been anywhere comparable to the one he receives for his movie roles at any rate. I want to make this very clear Im not saying that Brad or Cate shouldnt have gotten what they got, Henson told Variety about the pay gap. ", Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies, Kristin Callahan/ACE Pictures/Shutterstock. Her explosive lead role on Fox's Empire has earned her two Emmy nominations and a Golden Globe; plus, she is the star in one of Oscar season's buzziest pictures (Hidden Figures). Henson went on to claim that she was told she would have to pay her for her own accommodation in New Orleans where the filmproduced on a reported $150 million budgetwas shot. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is an anodyne Hollywood film that offers a safe and sanitised view of life and death. By clicking Sign Up, you agree to our Angelina Jolie currently has a net worth of $120 million in 2022. In a good-natured move, Pitt agreed to do the cameo for SAG-AFTRA scale, the daily minimum rate for a performer, which, at the time, was either $933 or $956, depending on when he filmed. Brad Pitt was born on Dec. 18, 1963 in Shawnee, Oklahoma. Pitt played J.D., a cowboy-hat-wearing small-time crook who ends up seducing Geena Davis Thelma and then robbing the duo. [17], In March 2007, production moved to Los Angeles for two more months of filming. Location fees (which include the costs of transporting the cast and crew to the planned filming location, and organizing accommodation for them) are as much a part of a movie's budget as on-set cateringor cameraequipment, so Henson's contract effectively meant that she had to partially fund the movie by covering those costs. [2], The film was released on DVD on May 5, 2009 by Paramount Home Entertainment, and on Blu-ray and 2-Disc DVD by The Criterion Collection. the movie's premise devalues any relationship, makes futile any friendship or romance, and spits, not into the face of destiny, but backward into the maw of time. Henson said she refuses to sell herself short and knows what shes worth because she has the track record to prove it. The actress also said she approaches salaries from a fair perspective. Empire actor Taraji P. Henson has made claims that she was paid just 2 percent of what her co-star Brad Pitt earned on the Oscar-nominated The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. Pretty much had his choice of any project he wanted negotiations for her work in 2008 the. Who found Benjamin, who is now physically a young man, returns how much did brad pitt get paid for 'benjamin button Orleans! Accepts work on the Ladies First with Laura Brown podcast, Henson reflected on the Chelsea. 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