Olivia Colman is right that an ‘Oliver Colman’ would be paid more – but to a point

Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter for all the latest entertainment news and reviews Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Do the maths.” The idea of a better remunerated “Oliver Colman” has understandably earned the most attention when it comes to Colman’s comments, and may very well be accurate – but it’s also the least interesting of her thoughts on pay equality in Hollywood. Colman said that the industry defends paying men more by claiming “they draw in the audiences” – “ that hasn’t been true for decades,” she continued. I don’t want to sound like I’m on a high horse, because I might be on a tiny little Shetland pony in a month.” By 2021, and on the heels of two underperforming star vehicles, she was earning less than Leonardo DiCaprio for their Netflix comedy Don’t Look Up – $30m to $25m – despite receiving top billing in the film. Plan auto-renews until cancelled Try for free Instead, much of Hollywood’s bookkeeping is propped up by buzz – agents who make a convincing enough argument that their client is worth a particular amount, that their clients are stars with a capital “s”, that… “Trust me, this newest film will be a smash and justify all the millions you’re paying them.” The opportunity to get into that space is, of course, trickier, with Hollywood always favouring the young, white and conventionally beautiful despite claiming to be a progressive industry.