Maggie Gyllenhaal Initially Didn’t Feel She Deserved Same Pay As Deuce Co-Star James Franco – Here’s Why

Actress Maggie Gyllenhaal initially didn’t feel like she deserved the same pay as her Deuce co-star James Franco when she was granted a raise.

Talking with SiriusXM’s Tell Me Everything hosted by John Fugelsang, Gyllenhaal recalled learning HBO was going to significantly raise her salary to be in line with Franco’s. They both played a pivotal part in the success of the drama, and the network finally recognized it.

However, as women in every single industry are fighting for equal pay, Gyllenhaal felt uncomfortable at first when she achieved equal pay.

Maggie Gyllenhaal Goes Bohemian For HBO’s ‘The Deuce’ New York Screening https://t.co/DASCAV8Onc pic.twitter.com/ihweLDKL5Q

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“I just out of the blue got a phone call saying that HBO was going to raise my salary significantly. I’m gonna be totally honest here, the first feeling I had was I felt kinda guilty. I just had this windfall. ‘Wait, that’s not fair.’ But that’s where I’m brainwashed. That’s where I’m like, ‘I don’t deserve this,’ and all this stuff. Like, ‘Well, of course, Franco is way more bankable, and so he is gonna “whatever, and that I’ve been told for my entire career,” the actress expressed.

It took Gyllenhaal awhile to realize her own value and worth. She fell into the same trap many other women face when it comes to self-worth.

“It took me, maybe a day to go like, ‘No, no, no, this is payback for a long time. When have I ever been paid the same as my male co-star? It took me a while to kind of clear my head because I think I’d spent a lot of time justifying this confused logic,” she explained.

The Dark Knight actress has been a supporter of the Times Up movement since the beginning. She even signed the open letter, as well as donated to the legal fund. Gyllenhaal is fully aware pay inequality is a significant issue, and she is on board to help solve the problem.

When it came to Maggie Gyllenhaal achieving equal pay as her Deuce co-star James Franco, the actress initially didn’t feel deserving. It is sometimes easier for women to fight for other women to earn and achieve success than it is to accept their own.

Gyllenhaal is one of the most talented actresses in Hollywood. She 100% deserved the same pay as Franco. Her story of accepting her achievement is one that is oh so familiar with women. Hats off to the brunette beauty for sharing her compelling story.