Negotiating equal pay for her role in The Huntsman: Winter’s War (2016) allowed actress Charlize Theron to walk away with a reported $10 million.

Oscar-winning talent Charlize Theron reprised her Snow White and the Huntsman (2012) role in 2016’s The Huntsman: Winter’s War, a follow-up installment to the first film. Although the former managed to garner a solid worldwide box office return, its successor flopped. However, this didn’t deter the 48-year-old actress from relishing a reported $10 million paycheck for her part in the Cedric Nicolas-Troyan-helmed endeavor. 

This staggering amount wasn’t a by-product of passivity in the face of a climate where gender pay disparities in Hollywood were making constant headlines. Instead, it is believed that Theron stood her ground and insisted that she be paid the same amount as her male co-star and MCU star Chris Hemsworth. Receiving this hefty salary in exchange for limited screen time astounded and intrigued people even more.

Charlize Theron Earned $10 Million Despite Starring In A Flop

Charlize Theron in Snow White and the Huntsman (2012)
Snow White and the Huntsman, starring Kristen Stewart, Chris Hemsworth, and Charlize Theron, is a fantasy film released in 2012. Serving as the predecessor to the film that earned the Mad Max: Fury Road alum her colossal buzz-worthy pay, the endeavor amassed $396.6 million at the worldwide box office against a budget of $170 million.

Upon release, the project received a mixed, somewhat tepid response from audiences and critics. However, its substantial performance led to the green-lighting of a follow-up installment. And that’s how The Huntsman: Winter’s War came to be. The sequel saw talents from the original cast reprise their roles, except Kristen Stewart.

Charlize Theron received $10 million for the sequel!

News about Theron’s negotiated payment for The Huntsman: Winter’s War surfaced during its pre-production. Page Six initially reported that the Atomic Blonde alum demanded to be paid the same as her male co-star Chris Hemsworth. Hollywood sources alleged that Theron’s negotiation (via her agents) landed her a lucrative $10 million deal.

This becomes even more astounding when we look at Theron’s screen time in the second film. Despite having only around 10 minutes of screen time and a few scenes, the Oscar-winner roughly earned $1 million per minute for her contribution to the film.

But how did this come to be? What proved the driving force for the actress’ insistence?

The Gender Pay Gap In Hollywood Stunned Charlize Theron

Charlize Theron in Mad Max: Fury Road
Theron’s filmography substantiates the acclaim and exaltation she gets. A salary in the millions seems justifiable for an actress of her stature. However, there was a different reason behind the Long Shot star’s insistence on being paid the same as Hemsworth. In 2014, the cyberattack on Sony Pictures leaked studio executives’ emails showcasing the problematic pay disparities in Hollywood.

According to the Guardian, the leaks revealed that American Hustle stars Jennifer Lawrence and Amy Adams were paid less than their male co-stars Christian Bale and Bradley Cooper. The disparity became the main topic of discussion when this news generated considerable buzz. Shortly after, in 2015, we learned that Theron took a stand and demanded equal pay for her role in The Huntsman: Winter’s War. This is how the $10m deal came to be.

Charlize Theron’s insistence on equal pay proved profitable.

During an ELLE interview, Charlize Theron commented the following on the matter of the gender pay gap in Hollywood:
“I have to give them credit because once I asked, they [Universal Pictures] said yes. They did not fight it. And maybe that’s the message: That we just need to put our foot down. […] If you’re doing the same job, you should be compensated and treated in the same way.”
The sequel ultimately could not yield the profits the production company presumably yearned for. However, Charlize Theron was triumphant in striking a deal that made international headlines and moved forward the discussions surrounding gender pay disparity and the right to demand equal pay.

The Huntsman: Winter’s War is available via buying/renting on Amazon Prime Video.