Actress Jennifer Lawrence has "Hunger Games" to thank for because the movie helped propel her to the top post of Forbes's list of highest-paid female celebrity with an income of $52 million the past year.
But while she is definitely far from starvation, Jennifer is also miles away from her male counterpart, Robert Downey Jr. who made $80 million. The numbers confirm the gender gap between male and female actors in the U.S, reports Washington Post.
Scarlett Johansson of "Avengers" came in second with an income of $35.5 million, while on third place is Melissa McCarthy of "Spy." The rest of the top earners are Jennifer Aniston, Julia Roberts, Angelina Jolie, Reese Witherspoon and Anne Hathaway. Sandra Bullock, the top earner the previous year, went down to 15th place with an income of $8 million, according to IBN Live.
The gender pay-gap is felt not only among actors but also among directors, producers, scriptwriters and other behind-the-scenes workers, noted the Christian Science Monitor. Previous leaks confirmed the lower pay of female actors compared to the male ones in the same movie.
In 2013, Forbes had acknowledged the pay gap and explains it t scarce roles for women especially "in an industry where far too often talent remains defined by youthful good looks rather than acting ability." Forbes added, "Without greater access to big studio roles, even the most coveted women in entertainment will rarely collect the same type of on-screen paychecks as their male counterparts."