Michelle Williams on how life on set has changed post the #MeToo movement: 'You don't get a morning grope, you get a handshake'
Michelle Williams says she's being treated differently on set following the #MeToo movement in Hollywood.
The 38-year-old four-time Oscar nominee sat down for an actress roundtable for The Hollywood Reporter alongside Patricia Arquette, Christine Baranski, Emilia Clarke, Danai Gurira and Niecy Nash.
'The dynamic on sets has changed. They don't hug you anymore.' Michelle said of how the response towards women working in the entertainment industry has changed recently.
Life post #MeToo: Michelle Williams talked to The Hollywood Reporter for its latest drama actress Roundtable series
'You don't get a morning grope, you get a handshake now. And I feel like I'm heard in a different way — or that the space has opened up for me to be able to be heard.
'There wasn't even a space before. Like the air was so thick you just figured out how to work underneath or around it.'
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The Fosse/Verdon star also discussed her work spearheading the fight against pay disparity after becoming the face of one of the most famous salary inequality scandals in the industry.
'I went to D.C. recently to speak on pay equality … and something that was interesting that was said to me there was that they were so grateful for me coming to tell this story because when you're talking about $10 versus $14, people have a hard time hearing the difference.
'You don't get a morning grope, you get a handshake now. And I feel like I'm heard in a different way — or that the space has opened up for me to be able to be heard.' Michelle told THR
Hollywood talent: The 38-year-old four-time Oscar nominee sat down for an actress roundtable for The Hollywood Reporter alongside Emilia Clarke, Patricia Arquette, Christine Baranski, Danai Gurira and Niecy Nash
'But when you use an example as extreme as mine, it really [drives it home].'
In 2017 the mother-of-one found out she was paid less than costar Mark Wahlberg for starring in All The Money In The World.
Both Michelle and Mark were asked to come back and do reshoots on the movie after Kevin Spacey was replaced by Christopher Plummer.
Michelle ended up being paid just the $80 per diem per day while Mark negotiated $1.5 million.
While Michelle's contract required her to do all necessary reshoots, Mark's contract reportedly did not, which meant he was able to negotiate more money for the same amount of work.
Activist: The Fosse/Verdon star also discussed her work spearheading the fight against pay disparity
'As far as anything that's happened in my life publicly, it's the most exciting and the most important thing that I've ever been involved in,' she told THR.
Meanwhile, Game of Thrones star Emilia dished on why she famously turned down the role of Anastasia Steele in the Fifty Shades franchise - which Dakota Johnson ended up playing.
'Well, Sam [Taylor-Johnson, the director] is a magician. I love her, and I thought her vision was beautiful. But the last time that I was naked on camera on [Game of Thrones] was a long time ago, and yet it is the only question that I ever get asked because I am a woman.
Fear of being pigeonholed: Meanwhile, Game of Thrones star Emilia dished on why she famously turned down the role of Anastasia Steele in the Fifty Shades franchise
Power players: Patricia Arquette and Danai Gurira pose for glam shots for The Hollywood Reporter's special feature
Hollywood beauty: The Good Wife star Christine Baranski glitters in a sequin gown for the shoot
Oscar-worthy look: Claws star Niecy Nash was a vision in a blush pink pleated gown
'And it's annoying as hell and I'm sick and tired of it because I did it for the character — I didn't do it so some guy could check out my tits, for God's sake. So, that coming up, I was like, "I can't."
'I did a minimal amount and I'm pigeonholed for life, so me saying yes to that, where the entire thing is about sensuality and sex and being naked and all of that stuff, I was just like, "No way am I going to voluntarily walk into that situation and then never be able to look someone in the eye and be like, 'No, you can't keep asking me this question.''
Movement: The actresses all sound off on the battles women face in the entertainment history and their fight to drive to change
