Natalie Portman’s paycheck for the 2011 rom-com No Strings Attached came with a surprising disparity. In a candid interview with Marie Claire UK, the actress revealed that her co-star Ashton Kutcher earned a staggering three times more than she did.
“His [quote] was three times higher than mine, so they said he should get three times more,” Portman explained, referring to Hollywood’s “quote” system, which bases salaries on an actor’s perceived market value. While Portman admitted she “wasn’t as pissed as [she] should have been,” the disparity highlights a glaring issue in the industry. Even Kutcher weighed in later, praising Portman on Twitter for calling out the imbalance.
Hollywood’s gender pay gap is no secret. The conversation gained momentum in 2015 after the infamous Sony hack revealed shocking salary disparities, such as Jennifer Lawrence earning less than her American Hustle co-stars Bradley Cooper and Christian Bale. Lawrence addressed her frustration in Lena Dunham’s Lenny Letter, admitting she held back in negotiations to avoid being labeled “difficult” or “spoiled.” As she put it, “Every man I was working with definitely didn’t worry about being ‘difficult.’”
For Portman, the No Strings Attached paycheck might not have sparked an immediate revolt, but it fueled her commitment to change. During her awards campaign for Jackie, she spoke out about the need for systemic reform in Hollywood. She also made a bold statement by insisting on a female director for On the Basis of Sex, where she portrayed Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. “We need to be part of the solution, not perpetuating the problem,” she stated.
The takeaway? The gender pay gap in Hollywood is as persistent as a bad sequel, but stars like Portman and Lawrence are leading the charge for change. Portman’s transparency about her experience continues to inspire conversations that are reshaping the industry. And while Hollywood’s wage disparity may not be fully fixed yet, one thing’s clear: women like Natalie Portman are rewriting the rules, ensuring the next generation gets the paycheck—and respect—they deserve.
