It looks like everyone is stepping up in Scarlett Johansson's defense after Disney slammed the Black Widow actress for filing a lawsuit against them. The latest celebrity to stand up for Johansson is SAG-AFTRA president Gabrielle Carteris, who stated that the House of Mouse is "bullying" the Avengers: Endgame star for simply asking to be paid for what her contract dictates.
People were shocked when it was revealed that Johansson has filed a lawsuit against Disney for breaching her contract for Black Widow. The suit reveals that Johansson's contract entitled her to back-end earnings on ticket sales, something that was greatly affected when Disney decided to release the film on its streaming service.
Since then, Disney has fired back at Johansson, calling her "callous" for expecting to be paid more in the middle of a pandemic. However, Carteris stepped up to defend Johansson's actions and slammed Disney for the way they treated the Black Widow star.
"Disney should be ashamed of themselves for resorting to tired tactics of gender-shaming and bullying. Actors must be compensated for their work according to their contracts," Carteris told Deadline. She then pointed out that Johansson is "shining a white-hot spotlight on the improper shifts in compensation that companies are attempting to slip by talent as distribution models change."
"Nobody in any field of work should fall victim to surprise reductions in expected compensation. It is unreasonable and unjust," Carteris stated. She continued by pointing out that Disney's response to Johansson had a "gendered tone."
"Women are not ‘callous' when they stand up and fight for fair pay – they are leaders and champions for economic justice. Women have been victimized by pay inequity for decades, and they have been further victimized by comments like those in Disney's press statements," Carteris said.
It's a powerful statement coming from a powerful woman and this is the kind of support that fans have been hoping for from people in Hollywood. Needless to say. there could be more women supporting Johansson in the future when the lawsuit pushes forward.
For now, there have been no new statements from Johansson and Disney regarding the case. However, that doesn't mean that it is all over and there is a possibility that we will get an update in the next few weeks.
Black Widow is now screening in theaters and on Disney+.
Related: Disney Lawyer Says Scarlett Johansson Lawsuit is Just a 'Highly Orchestrated' PR Stunt
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