Brie Larson Gets Frank About the Wage Gap: “Ask for What You Deserve”

Brie Larson has a strong, simple message about equal pay: “Ask for what you deserve.”

On Wednesday night, the Captain Marvel star and best-actress Oscar winner sat for an interview with Vanity Fair editor in chief Radhika Jones at the Women in the World summit in New York, where she spoke frankly about the wage gap.

“Money is actually something Im very excited to talk about,” Larson began. “Its this thing that people think is super-icky—and thats the trap. The trap is they make you feel icky about it, so that you dont ask for what you deserve—because you know what that number is inside.”

In March, Larson made her superhero debut in Captain Marvel. The film broke barriers, not only as Marvels first stand-alone film with a female superhero at the helm, but also for earning over $1 billion at the worldwide box office. Larson reportedly earned $5 million for starring in the film—more than Avengers like Robert Downey Jr. and Chadwick Boseman did for their own first stand-alone Marvel films. At the summit, Larson also spoke more broadly about her current rate, saying the reason she earns what she does today is because of the women in the industry who have come before her, paving the way for higher quotes.

“Lawyers use that as a comparison,” she said. “Everybodys sort of building it up, and Im just the next step in that.”

The actress also had words of encouragement for women who might feel trepidatious about asking for higher pay. “When women talk to me about this, I say, You know, dont even do it for you, if that makes you feel weird right now. Do it for the women that are gonna come after you,” she said. “Do it for the next one. Do it for the future you, because you are helping. And if that can give you a little bit more of a stir and a fight, then do it. We need you.”

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