Thaindian News

Aug 4 (IBNS) Hollywood stars are taking drastic pay cuts so that their projects don’t suffer due to spiraling costs.

Denzel Washington has decided to take a sizable pay cut in the forthcoming 20th Century Fox film “Unstoppable” after the studio threatened abandon the project due to high cost. The actor’s decision comes after have worked hard to finally break into the $20-million star salary club.

The LA Times blog reported that Denzel is not alone, director David Fincher, who used to make $8 million to $10 million per picture, has taken considerably less money for his new Sony Pictures film, The Social Network.

“Dinner for Schmucks” star Steve Carell and director Jay Roach have also taken the same step. They are the two top comic talents in the business, but have lowered their rates for the upcoming Paramount movie.

Recently Julia Roberts informed Disney that she wouldn’t lower her salary in the recent comedy The Proposal. The studio replaced Roberts with Sandra Bullock for even less than what it had offered Roberts. The movie turned out to be one of the summer’s biggest comedy hits.

In Hollywood, whenever a studio executive would sit down to negotiate with an agent for an actor, writer or filmmaker, one of the first questions volleyed across the table was: What’s your client’s quote? But not anymore.

“Quotes and first-dollar gross have just flown out the window — the studios simply won’t make those deals anymore. It’s all about what the role is worth in that particular movie. The studio pays for the lead actor or actress, but after that, well, the talent is just getting grinded. Everyone else is lucky to be working,” a leading producer was quoted as saying.