Mark Wahlberg Accused of Swindling Musician out of Royalties
Mark Wahlberg might have found himself in the middle of another pay disparity scandal. News broke [...]
Mark Wahlberg might have found himself in the middle of another pay disparity scandal.
News broke back on Jan. 10 that Wahlberg had made $1.5 million for the reshoots on the Ridley Scott film All the Money in the World, while his co-star Michelle Williams was paid a mere $80 per day.
Now in a report from Page Six, Wahlberg reportedly "screwed" singer Melina Bruhn out of royalties while performing on Wahlberg's (then known as Marky Mark) 1994 album Life in the Street.
"I was screwed out of royalties for the rest of my life," Bruhn told the site.
The album was never released in the United States but was a financial success over in Germany. Three of its songs were also used in the 1994 film Renaissance Man starring Danny DeVito.
"This has been haunting me for my entire career, and I've always wanted to write to him, to let him know how much I've suffered," Bruhn said. "I'm not upset at Mark. He was just another artist, like me. I'm just upset at the situation. I didn't get my fair share, and I hope that my story will help younger up-and-coming artists protect themselves."
Bruhn now performs at the annual Oktoberfest in Germany with her band The Oompahs. Page Six reported that Wahlberg and his representatives have not responded to Bruhn's claims.
Wahlberg, facing heavy backlash for the re-shoot payment, offered to donate the money he made along with an additial $500,000 from agency WME to the anit-sexual assault "Time's Up" legal fund.
"Over the last few days my reshoot fee for All the Money in the World has become an important topic of conversation," Wahlberg said in a statement. "I 100 percent support the fight for fair pay and I'm donating the $1.5 million to the Time's Up Legal Defense Fund in Michelle Williams' name."
Williams went on to thank Wahlberg for the donations.
"Today isn't about me," Williams said in a statement. "My fellow actresses stood by me and stood up for me, my activist friends taught me to use my voice, and the most powerful men in charge, they listened and they acted. If we truly envision an equal world, it takes equal effort and sacrifice. Today is one of the most indelible days of my life because of Mark Wahlberg, WME and a community of women and men who share in this accomplishment. Anthony Rapp, for all the shoulders you stood on, now we stand on yours."
Wahlberg eventually opted to donate the money he made towards