Bryce Dallas Howard has asserted that she received significantly less compensation than Chris Pratt for the Jurassic World trilogy.
In 2015, Bryce made her debut as Claire Dearing in the first film of the trilogy, which revitalized the Jurassic Park franchise.
She co-starred with Chris Pratt, who played Owen Grady. Although both actors went on to co-lead two more films together, reports indicate that Chris was paid considerably more than Bryce.
By the time the second film, Fallen Kingdom, was released in 2018, reports suggested that Bryce earned $8 million, whereas Chris received $10 million.
However, Bryce clarified to Business Insider that these reports were inaccurate.
“The reports were so interesting because I was paid so much less than the reports even said, so much less,” she disclosed.
This pay discrepancy also applied to the 2022 instalment, Jurassic World Dominion, which grossed over $1 billion globally and became the third highest-grossing film of the year.
Despite the film’s massive earnings, Bryce’s lower pay remained unchanged because she had signed a three-movie contract back in 2014.
She elaborated: “When I started negotiating for Jurassic, it was 2014, and it was a different world, and I was at a great disadvantage. And, unfortunately, you have to sign up for three movies, and so your deals are set.”
Bryce discussed the issue of pay inequality with her co-star Chris, who took steps to ensure she received equal pay for earning opportunities not restricted by their prior agreement.
She stated: “What I will say is that Chris and I have discussed it, and whenever there was an opportunity to move the needle on stuff that hadn’t been already negotiated, like a game or a ride, he literally told me: ‘You guys don’t even have to do anything. I’m gonna do all the negotiating. We’re gonna be paid the same, and you don’t have to think about this, Bryce.'”
“I love him so much for doing that,” Bryce continued.
“I really do, because I’ve been paid more for those kinds of things than I ever was for the movie.”
Unfortunately, Bryce’s experience reflects a broader issue of pay inequality.
Kirsten Dunst had also previously revealed that she earned significantly less than Tobey Maguire for their 2004 film Spider-Man 2.
Maguire was reportedly paid around $17 million (or possibly more, according to Dunst) to reprise his role as Peter Parker, while she received $7 million.