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Women like Mary Pickford walked so that stars like Margot Robbie could run.
The lamentable pitfall of pay disparity remains perhaps one of the most challenging aspects of Hollywood even today. Admittedly, the film industry has made giant leaps by shedding its old, orthodox ways and transforming into a more rejuvenated version of itself. But there’s still much ground to cover when it comes to gender pay parity and sundry other such important issues.
Despite the tide of change yet to wash over showbiz, it’s thanks to pioneers like Pickford and Alice Guy-Blaché (the first woman to take over the director’s chair), that the industry has come this close in bridging the gap between the unjust treatment of male and female actors and filmmakers.
How Mary Pickford Transfigured the Blueprint of Hollywood
When films and televisions were still newly crafted inventions and the fabled Tinseltown was only beginning to germinate, pay parity between men and women was hardly a thing back then, let alone a priority. Even though women contributed much more actively than they were accredited for, their efforts remained obscure at large and wildly unacknowledged (viaFar Out Magazine).
Then came Canadian actress and trailblazer, Gladys Louise Smith, professionally known as Mary Pickford, who turned out to be a knight in shining armor for generations of stars to come. With a dazzling career spanning roughly five decades, the late legend transformed the trajectory of Hollywood in more ways than one.
One of the 36 members who founded the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Pickford relished her position as the highest-earning actress for a few years and only raked in more bounty after signing a motion picture deal with Paramount co-founder Adolph Zukor & the Famous Players Film Company (viaWoman Film Pioneers Project).
Thanks to her impeccable skill and talent,Pickford went from making $1000 a week to ten times the numberwhich comes down to approximately $15,000 a year (adjusted for inflation).
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Sure, that would seem like loose change if you compare it with the highest-paid actress in recent times – last year it wasMargot Robbiewho banked $59 million in 2023 alone (viaThe Times) – but this is the 20th century we’re talking about. Making $15k per annum was no walk in the park, least of all during the ’20s and ’30s.
Besides, Robbie probably wouldn’t have gotten where she did had “America’s sweetheart” of the silent film era not single-handedly revolutionized the industry back then.
The Meteoric Rise of Margot Robbie Thanks toBarbie
After her debut in a 2008 Australian action film titledVigilnate, Robbie, 34, got her big break owing to Martin Scorcese’sThe Wolf of Wall Street,wherein she starred beside industry juggernaut Leonardo DiCaprio.
Following the 2013 biographical dark comedy, the actress and producer signed film after smashing film, includingFocuswith Will Smith, David Ayer’sSuicide Squad, and the critically acclaimed sports mockumentaryI, Tonya, which landed Robbie her first Oscar nomination.
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Then came a few hits and misses like 2019’sBombshell, (in its defense, though a box-office flop, the movie still earned favorable reviews from fans and critics) and 2022’sBabylon. But thanks toBarbie,Robbie was able to make up for her previous losses owing to the handsome remuneration she received after leading Greta Gerwig’s crown jewel withRyan Gosling.
Not only didBarbiegross a record-breaking $1.4 billion at the worldwide box office (viaBox Office Mojo), butVarietyalso reported that the existential comedy about the famous Mattel toy alone garnered the Australian actress $50 million. So, to say that Robbie made up for her prior box office bombs would be an understatement.
Barbieis available for streaming on Max and can be rented on Apple TV+.
Khushi Shah
Articles Published :857
With a prolific knowledge of everything pop culture and a strong penchant for writing, Khushi has penned over 700 articles during her time as an author at FandomWire.An abnormal psychology student and an fervent reader of dark fiction, her most trusted soldiers are coffee and a good book.
