There have been few trends in 2015 more annoying than claiming sexism (or any -isms for that matter) where there isn’t actually sexism, just for the sake of a click baity headline.
Exhibit Q: Harrison Ford (see Top 5 Reasons America Loves Harrison Ford) got paid 76 times more than Daisy Ridley did in Star Wars: The Force Awakens (see The Top 5 Ways Star Wars Predicted Modern Liberalism). If you’re responding with “Daisy who?” congratulations, you’re like 99% of other people on planet Earth. At least until the last two weeks.
Either way, in this situation, one could say that the person upon whom the franchise was built for the past 40 years was paid more than the person in their first Star Wars movie ever.
… Or, you can say “man got paid more than woman, because PLEASE SHARE THIS ON SOCIAL MEDIA!!!”
#TheForceAwakens Salaries: Harrison Ford reportedly paid 76 times more than Daisy Ridley https://t.co/LgZFnzmmdi pic.twitter.com/YJg3hFbMdL
— IMDb (@IMDb) December 26, 2015
Harrison Ford is being paid up to 76 times more than his ‘Star Wars’ co-stars https://t.co/bCR9sDvJuF
— TIME.com (@TIME) December 26, 2015
They didn’t even try to back up the headline…
That would mean Ford possibly made a whopping 76 times more than Ridley and Boyega. Of course, Ford is a huge star, while the younger actors are relative newcomers. Plus, Disney and Lucasfilm opted to create a “legacy pay scale” for returning actors from the original “Star Wars” movies. And the storyline of “The Force Awakens” depended heavily on Han Solo’s involvement.
Thankfully, not a lot of people took the bait.
@IMDb omg total sexism you guys! a no name actress should be paid the same as a established 40+ industry veteran with box office draw
— Floppy (@w_w_666) December 26, 2015
@IMDb Well *nobody* else could’ve played Han Solo and anybody could’ve played Rey.
— Rachel (@snicklefritz35) December 26, 2015
@snicklefritz35 @GudBadAnFozzy @IMDb Also Talented Actors with proven Hit Movies make more than New Unproven Actors, Shocking!!!
— Hopekuma (@Hopekuma) December 26, 2015
@IMDb Wait, an established actor with a long resume got paid more than an unknown? Get outta here…
— Drewbacca (@NiceDrewishFela) December 26, 2015
.@IMDb Maybe because she’s new, and he’s Harrison fucking Ford?
— Josho’s Girl (@WynterWyfe) December 26, 2015
Maybe there is hope for 2016 yet.
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