Follow us on Google News
Get the latest updates directly in your Google News feed
Looking back, can we imagine a bright-eyed Rebel Wilson stepping onto the set of Paul Feig’s 2011 comedy flickBridesmaids, ready to dive into the challenging waters of Hollywood? Who could have predicted the bittersweet symphony that would follow her joy at receiving her first American paycheck?
Recently, this cheery Australian actress, known for her exceptional wit and comedic timing, humbly shared her success story and the financial struggle during theDiary of a CEOpodcast with Steven Bartlett. Despite being cast in a hit 2011 comedy that catapulted her into the spotlight, Wilson revealed that the joy was tempered by the harsh reality of a $3,500 salary being swallowed up almost entirely by SAG-AFTRA “union” dues.
Yes, Wilson actually detailed her struggle after earning $3500 for her first job in America withBridesmaids, which also starred Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, and Rose Byrne.
Rebel Wilson’s Candid Reflection on Financial Struggles afterBridesmaids
In an interview with theDiary of a CEOpodcast,Rebel Wilsonrevealed her meager“$3,500” salary for her first job as a cast member inBridesmaids. Despite being part of a box office hit, her paycheck barely covered her union fees, leaving her with little to show for her hard work:
“That was my first job in America. I was very lucky to get it. I mean, what an awesome cracker of a movie, to get that but to be paid that little. And basically that $3,500, I then had to pay to the union to join the union. So, basically, I made no money.”
In fact, Wilson“lost money”because she had to pay to attend the premiere to“buy my dress and everything”.The Australian actress, 44, thencandidly shared her experience of living on a mere $60 a week in Los Angeles after paying her rent and car rental, painting a stark picture of the sacrifices she made inpursuit of her dreams.
“That was a really skint year where I was living on $60 a week in L.A. once I paid my rent and my car hire, and that’s not a lot of money. So I wasn’t partying or living this life. It was basically just having that focus trying to write for myself, going to auditions, and I had to wait a whole year until ‘Bridesmaids’ came out…”
Bridesmaids—which is now regarded asone of the greatest comediesof the twenty-first century—became the first movie produced by Apatow to be nominated for an Academy Award.
“I have now a no a-holes policy”: Rebel Wilson Will Never Work With Sacha Baron Cohen Again Even if Given a Billion Dollars After Revealing Disturbing Stories
Well, despite financial difficulties, Wilson remained committed to her career and later appeared in films such asA Few Best Men, Small Apartments,andStruck by Lightning.
Rebel Wilson’s Memoir Revisited: How HerBridesmaids’ Money Made an Impact
Rebel Wilson revealedin her memoirRebel Rising(viaTHR) that the money she received from herBridesmaids’work went to SAG, but she claimed that this “did not matter” because “the experience was everything”.
Two weeks afterBridesmaidscame out, Wilson said she booked six new projects, one of which was the 2012 cappella hit, Pitch Perfect.The actress wrote that she received the“SAG minimum scale, which was $65,000”,as payment for the movie. Two sequels toPitch Perfectwere made later as a result of its success, and Wilson admitted she was paid $10 million forPitch Perfect 3.
While acknowledging that it was a“pretty big pay raise”, the actress made it clear that she had to fight for the raise:
“At the very end of filmingPitch 2, the producers told the older girls, like me, Anna Camp, Anna Kendrick and Brittany Snow, that we would not feature in the third movie. They were going to replace us all with younger actresses, led by Hailee Steinfeld, whose character was introduced inPitch 2.”
InThe New York Timesinterview regarding her memoir, Wilson was asked why she had chosen to be transparent about some of the earnings she had received from her acting career thus far. Despite Universal Pictures’ initial $1 million offer, she claimed that she was able to increase herPitch Perfect3salary to $10 million.
“Why do I have such low self-worth?”: Rebel Wilson Regrets Not Taking a Stand After Sacha Baron Cohen Insulted Her Because of Her Size
Anyway, Wilson’s story exemplifies how success in the entertainment industry is not always glamorous but rather the result of hard work, dedication, and the relentless pursuit of one’s passion!
Bridesmaidsis streaming on Peacock.
Siddhika Prajapati
Senior Journalist & Content Head
Articles Published :3310
With over 3,300 articles carved into the digital walls of FandomWire, Siddhika Prajapati excels at creating, curating, and elevating engaging stories. She takes pride in giving these stories a home and, of course, she’s got a Google Knowledge Panel to prove it!Whether it’s reviewing the latest drop on Netflix, Amazon Prime, or Apple TV+, or analyzing the cultural echoes of a streaming hit on Paramount+ or Max, Siddhika is always writing three steps ahead of the discourse.
