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Julia Roberts' $20 Million Deal Broke Barriers
17 Feb
Summary
- Julia Roberts was the first actress to earn $20 million.
- Her $20 million paycheck matched male actors' salaries.
- Roberts' role in Erin Brockovich earned $125 million.
Julia Roberts, a highly acclaimed actress, shattered Hollywood's pay disparity in the late 1990s and early 2000s. She became the first female actor to earn the same salary as her male peers, a significant achievement in the industry.
During this period, top male actors like Mel Gibson and Tom Hanks typically earned $20 million per film. Roberts successfully negotiated this same amount for her role in Steven Soderbergh's "Erin Brockovich."
Her manager successfully argued that Roberts' proven track record, with her last five films grossing $100 million, justified the hefty sum. The studio's investment was validated when "Erin Brockovich" earned $125 million at the U.S. box office and received five Oscar nominations, including Best Picture.
