Thandie Newton on 'swallowing resentment' over male co-star's pay on Westworld

·Contributor

20 June 2018 at 7:22 am

Thandie Newton (Credit: REUTERS/Eric Gaillard)

Thandie Newton has said that she has had to ‘swallow’ her resentment after she found out how much more her male co-stars were being paid than her on Westworld.

But speaking at an event at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity in the south of France, the Solo star explained that things now appear to be moving in the right direction.

“As a result of the TimesUp campaign, HBO for the first time has made women and men in lead role positions [equally paid],” she said.

“I’m one of the actresses that benefited.

“When I first discovered how much they were offering it made me realise, ‘Oh my God, men have been paid so much more.’ I had to have a big swallow of resentment. I gave it half an hour and then felt grateful.

“Every year I go into a new production or a new season of Westworld and I don’t think to ask for more, I just feel so grateful to be working. But we need to expect more for ourselves.

“We need pressure, we need to disrupt, it’s part of change and growth.”

She also spoke about her mixed race heritage, and how diversity is vital in the entertainment business, and how she uses her sway in the business to get things changed.

“It’s so important that I walk on to a set and see others like me,” she added.

“If I walk on to a set and don’t see representation of a world that I live in, then I will make a change and I will talk to producers and say: ‘No, no, no.’ It’s not just about the people you see in front of the camera. I use my authority to do that. It’s a positive and the results are astounding.”