Equal pay for equal work isn't exactly a tale as old as time in Hollywood, but things are looking up, at least for Emma Watson: It's been confirmed the actress stands to make bank for carrying the sure-to-be smash box-office hit Beauty in the Beast on her shoulders.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Watson is raking in $3 million upfront for her starring role as Belle in the live-action version of the 1991 animated classic, though she stands to make up to $15 million if the movie cleans up at the box office (which it likely will—the movie is projected to rake in somewhere between $120 million to $140 million in its first weekend alone). For Watson to receive the full amount, the movie would have to gross $759 million worldwide, about as much as the Angelina Jolie–led Maleficentdid. And while Disney isn't always known for shelling out big bucks for every potential A-list star—the studio reportedly refused to pay Will Smith $20 million for a role in Tim Burton's upcoming adaptation of Dumbo—the studio does when it makes sense, as Jolie famously commanded a whopping $20 million payday, in addition to profit participation for *Maleficent, THR* reports.
Watson, of course, is no stranger to cashing in on cult-favorite hits. For the Harry Potterfilms, our Hermione reportedly scored $60 million total. And it's no surprise that Beauty has proved to be such a big-ticket item, especially considering its beast of a marketing strategy. The movie has been channeled into themed products galore—some might say to the point of fatigue—such as makeup, nail polish, phone cases, a $280 Le Creuset soup pot covered in roses, and much more.
The issue of women getting paid what they're worth is more important than ever, considering how widespread the wage gap is between men and women in most industries, but especially in Hollywood. Watson, an outspoken feminist, has advocated in the past for equal pay, a topic stars like Jennifer Lawrence, Sharon Stone, Natalie Portman, Emmy Rossum, Jennifer Aniston, and Emma Stone have been rightfully vocal about, as well.
