British actor Benedict Cumberbatch has joined the ranks of artistes demanding equal pay, saying actors like himself should boycott projects that do not pay women the same amount as their male co-stars.
“Equal pay and a place at the table are the central tenets of feminism,” he said in a recent interview with Radio Times magazine.
“Look at your quotas. Ask what women are being paid, and say: ‘If she’s not paid the same as the men, I’m not doing it.’”
An ardent feminist, Cumberbatch, famous for his lead role in BBC TV series “Sherlock” and Marvel’s “Doctor Strange,” also said he would be using his profile as well as his new production company SunnyMarch to champion more female-focused dramas.
“I’m proud that Adam (Ackland) and I are the only men in our production company; our next project is a female story with a female lens about motherhood, in a time of environmental disaster. If it’s centred around my name, to get investors, we can use that attention for a raft of female projects. Half the audience is female!”
Benedict Cumberbatch is currently working on the title role in new Sky Atlantic series “Patrick Melrose,” which premiered on May 12. His Cold War spy thriller “Ironbark” has reportedly been one of the big sellers at the Cannes Film Festival.
