This is an under appreciated comment and it is 100% accurate whether we're talking film or music.
The box office don't care if you can act or sing it cares what you sell. Are you driving people to the theater
to spend their money on you at the box office? Period.
If you're selling seats you have negotiating power, if you're not Jesus could be your agent and Moses your manager
it won't matter. I'm not saying there isn't a pay disparity and i'm not saying she hasn't been in classics that have
made money. For a certain type of film (those targeted towards black audiences) she might be able to say to producers
"give me back-end or I won't do the picture," but she's gotta be willing to pass on 250k-500k a few times to train the
decision makers that she means business and that her brand is worth the back-end she's requesting
(this is management & agents role together).
Let's be 100% honest about Taraji... she brings a certain skill level (acting etc) that not many others posses
"for a certain type of role." Hidden Figures made $235 million world wide and $169 million domestically,
on a $25 million dollar budget (per my goto box office mojo).
This is a perfect example of a film Taraji should've received back-end on. Period.
Take the shit guarantee (maybe 150k) and demand the backend after studio recoups. If the producers
are spending $25 million they're attaching an actress that is going to lock this movie. This was a missed opportunity
but she likely got paid close to a million for the role if not a million and that ain't easy money to pass on; depending
on whatever's happening in your life at that time.
In all of Taraji's biggest box office successes she has been a part of an ensemble cast (important piece but not
essential). Taraji should be upset but she's in that rare and difficult spot between bankable ensemble cast
member and box office driver. She's not bankable by herself but she IS a strong hedge. How she's compensated
depends on what vehicle she's being asked to participate in and what her toolkit does for the vehicle, and that math
changes every second. I feel for her... and I understand why she's frustrated. I also see she's only had 1 really solid
opportunity to completely G- off (Hidden Figures), imo. At that moment she was positioned to take advantage of a big
enough budget, strong enough vehicle and hedge her bet.
