Crazy Rich Asians co-writer Adele Lim has refused to work on two proposed sequels to the film after discovering that she would be paid just over an eighth of what another writer, Peter Chiarelli, would earn.
It is understood that Chiarelli stands to earn $800,000 (Dh2.9 million) for his role in the sequels, whereas Lim would have been paid about $110,000.
"Being evaluated that way can't help but make you feel that is how they view my contributions," said Lim in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter.
Crazy Rich Asians, which is based on the novel by Kevin Kwan, made $238 million at the Box Office.
Chiarelli, who worked on 2009 rom-com The Proposal, has offered to split his fee with Lim but she has refused.
“If I couldn’t get pay equity after CRA,” she said, “I can’t imagine what it would be like for anyone else, given that the standard for how much you’re worth is having established quotes from previous movies, which women of colour would never have been [hired for].”