Getty ImagesSeth Rogen jokes he is partially responsible for raising awareness about the pay gap between men and women in Hollywood.
In 2014, hackers angry about Rogen's comedy film The Interview, which depicted an assassination plot against North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, launched a cyber-attack of Sony Pictures Entertainment. Company emails were leaked, including messages that revealed Jennifer Lawrence was compensated less than her male co-stars for American Hustle. She and several other actresses have since spoken out publicly against gender-based wage inequality, which has always existed in the United States.
At SiriusXM's recent Town Hall event for the new comedy film Neighbors 2, which hits theaters Friday, Rogen and fellow cast members Rose Byrne and Zac Efron were asked if they think Hollywood has made any progress towards closing the gender pay gap.
"I would say no, but at least there's a conversation about it and it's been brought to light, which I think is really important, because it's only through that that there can be change," Byrne said.
"Thanks to our Sony hacking, everyone knows about it now," Rogen joked, laughing.
"Technically, I...you guys are welcome. If we hadn't done that, then-" he continued.
"It wouldn't be revealed," Byrne said.
"Jennifer Lawrence wouldn't know," Rogen continued.
In late 2015, Lawrence, the highest-paid actress in the world, made headlines with an op-ed titled, "Why Do I Make Less Than My Male Co-Stars," published in Lena Dunham's Lenny Letter newsletter. She said she was paid less than "the lucky people with dicks" in American Hustle.
Arquette had famously spoken out about wage equality in her acceptance speech for Best Supporting Actress at the 2015 Oscars. She earned a standing ovation and a particularly enthusiastic response from Meryl Streep. Arquette has continued to advocate for the issue publicly.
Earlier this week, Wright revealed she demanded to paid the same amount as co-star Kevin Spacey for her work on the Netflix series House of Cards.
"I was looking at the statistics and Claire Underwood's character was more popular than [Frank's] for a period of time," she said. "So I capitalized on it. I was like, 'You better pay me or I'm going to go public.' And they did."