Will Smith shared his salary with the cast of ‘King Richard’ because their salary was lowered

One of the industries that has been most affected by the pandemic is the film industry. Many films have had to be released on platforms of streaming after delays of several months waiting for theaters to open. Although the health situation is already better, theaters continue to be affected, so many other films have had a dual premiere in theaters and on platforms such as HBO Max, Netflix, etc.

A premiere of this type usually affects the amount of money that these tapes obtain, which is something very negative for all the people involved in making these, but especially for the actors.

Many actors, such as Scarlett Johansson, end up receiving less money than was agreed due to situations like this, since in many cases the salary of the actors is shaped to a greater or lesser extent by the earnings of the film. One of the latest films that has been seen in this situation is King Richard, based on Richard Williams, father of tennis legends Venus and Serena Williams, and which opens this month both in theaters and on HBO Max.

Will Smith received the not modest figure of 40 million dollars for his participation in this film. According to various reports, the rest of the cast, consisting of actors such as Tony Goldwyn, Saniyya Sidney, Demi Singleton, Jon Bernthal and Aunjanue Ellis, suffered salary cuts due to the simultaneous release of the film.

To make up for this, Will split his own salary to offer cash bonuses to his co-stars. Although the news was not confirmed by Will or his team, actor Tony Goldwyn did in an interview with Acess Hollywood.

I have been an actor for over 30 years. I had never worked with someone as generous as Will. What you say [que dio bonos y regalos al elenco] It’s true. When Warner Brothers decided not to release this movie and put it on streaming platforms, there was a lot of controversy. We got a call from Will, who said “I’m going to fix this.” I’ve never seen anything like it, I just couldn’t believe it.

Besides being generous with his money, the actor is an excellent colleague. Actress Demi Singleton had this to say:

Being on set with Will was a joy. He made sure that we all felt comfortable and safe and that we had a good time – there was never a dull moment – Never.

Another actress on the film, Layla Crawford, said Will gave new iPhones and Polaroid cameras to some of the cast members, saying the actor “is a blessing.”

There is no doubt that Will Smith, in addition to being one of the most talented and charismatic actors in Hollywood, has a heart of gold.