Here’s The Real Reason Will Smith Gave ‘King Richard’ Cast Bonuses

Last year, Will Smith revealed that he was honored to give bonuses to his King Richard co-stars. While the noble gesture was praised throughout Hollywood, one of his co-stars has revealed the real reason why he blessed the cast with additional pay. 

In an interview with The Breakfast Club on Thursday, March 17, Aunjanue Ellis provided more insight into why Smith wanted to make the bonuses a reality. Ellis explained that it was her letter to Smith regarding the rate she was offered to play the role of Venus and Serena Williams’ mother in the film. At the time, Ellis felt like she did the job she was asked to do but felt that she could’ve gotten more, and she told Smith that in her letter. Not only did Smith directly address her concerns, but he also made it a priority to do something about it. 

"As a result of his doing, his responding to the letter I wrote to him, not only did he address that with increasing my pay but the other actors in the movie also got their pay increased, which is the proof of.. when Black women do well, everybody does well."

Charlemagne pointed out that Ellis’ story sounded way better than Smith’s previous explanation. A few days before the film premiered last November, Smith said that the COVID shutdowns was a prime reason why he decided to cut into his $40 million-dollar payout in order to give bonuses to the cast. 

"All I can do is my part,” Smith explained to Entertainment Tonight. “So it's always an honor and a pleasure for me to do my part, and everybody put in brilliant work. It was the COVID shutdowns, people really stuck with us."

"It was a much more difficult process than anybody thought they were signing up for," Smith added. "I just felt that it was fair."

Watch Aunjanue Ellis’ full interview with The Breakfast Club below.