Payday hikes for femmes
1998-10-15

People Sigourney Weaver Michelle Pfeiffer Bruce Willis Cameron Diaz Demi Moore Jim Carrey Mel Gibson Tom Hanks Meg Ryan Jodie Foster Julia Roberts Richard Gere Tom Cruise

HOLLYWOOD - While studios claim to be enforcing the $20 million barrier for star salaries, A-list actresses finally seem to be catching up to their male counterparts.

Julia Roberts is receiving in excess of $17 million for her role opposite Richard Gere in Paramount's ``The Runaway Bride'' -- even higher than the $15 million salary reported by Daily Variety on Oct. 13.

That article reported that Jodie Foster is expected to receive $15 million for her role in Fox 2000's ``Anna and the King'' -- a sum that is understood to be the two-time Academy Award-winner's biggest payday.

As studios make fewer films, star power burns brighter than ever, and despite the complicated scenarios studios and agents come up with to give the stars what they want (deferments, backend scales and percentages set at variable box office takes, etc.), $20 million has served as the benchmark for the highest upfront fee.

While several male stars are long-time residents of the $20 million neighborhood (with Harrison Ford, Mel Gibson, Jim Carrey, Tom Hanks, Tom Cruise and Bruce Willis among them), according to observers, Roberts looks like the surest bet among actresses to cross the $20 million plateau.

Roberts and Foster have growing company in the eight-figure range, which already includes Sandra Bullock, Demi Moore, Meg Ryan, Sigourney Weaver and Michelle Pfeiffer. Following the success of ``There's Something About Mary,'' Cameron Diaz is expected to join them soon. [Variety]