Jeremy Renner is clarifying his controversial remarks about the gender pay gap in Hollywood with his own words and his own voice. "The Avengers" star took to social media Friday to set the record straight.
"On the issue of gender equality I have always supported women deserving equal pay. Period," the actor wrote via Twitter after he was quoted as saying in an interview earlier this week that lobbying for higher wages for his costars was not his job.
"A person should be rewarded only by their merit or service to their given field. Gender, race, creed, or sexual orientation should have absolutely no influence in pay, positively or negatively."
He continued: "I have always asked for all of us to move towards a unity and equality not just in pay, but social acceptance and discover compassion and tolerance within ourselves, to bridge our differences; united we stand. We will always be one. Like it or not."
The "Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation" actor prefaced his statement with a tweet about "media spin clarification" and referenced the topic brought up by his "American Hustle" costar Jennifer Lawrence earlier this month.
The young actress lambasted the wage disparity in an essay for Lena Dunham's Lenny newsletter titled "Why Do I Make Less Than My Male Co-Stars?" In the essay, the Oscar winner noted that her male counterparts on the David O. Russell film had successfully negotiated higher wages than she and Amy Adams had -- a revelation that emerged after last year's Sony Pictures hack.
"Hustle" costar Bradley Cooper was asked about Lawrence's commentary and said that he worked to negotiate higher pay for his female costars. That's likely why Renner was posed the same question, and since his answer differed from Cooper's altruistic pledge -- and was interpreted as dismissive -- it landed him in hot water. (It's not the first time Renner's had to issue a mea culpa. See: Golden Globes and Black Widow controversies here and here).
Renner said he hoped to "give some clarity" to his thoughts, which he believed were not reported in their entirety.
Indeed, the actor was quoted by Business Insider as saying that he didn't plan to negotiate for his female costars because he doesn't "know contracts and money and all that sort of stuff."
"I'm a performer and I know human behavior. When it comes to that sort of stuff I let other people deal with that," the 44-year-old added. "I do what I'm good at -- that's what I focus on."
The magazine disclosed that the "Bourne Legacy" star supports equal pay for actors and actresses; however, Renner noted that he would rather focus on his craft than on salaries, which are normally negotiated by agents, managers and lawyers, not by talent.
Follow me on Twitter @NardineSaad.
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