Denzel Washington Stands Alone As The Only Black Actor On Forbes 2023 Highest-Paid List

It is no surprise that when Forbes released its 2023 highest-paid actors in Hollywood, the only Black person on the list is arguably the greatest actor of all time.

The illustrious Denzel Washington is the only person of color on that list.

Still, marginalized groups compared to white counterparts is never a new social justice issue.

But because of the public knowledge when it comes to celebrity salaries, it is very hard to turn the head another way when it comes to the substantial differences in pay that Black actors and actresses get.

The most noteworthy of that gap is the gender inequalities between actors who identify as men or women. Black actresses make an estimated 64 cents for every dollar white, non-Hispanic actors make, according to the National Partnership for Women and Families. That number increases to 68 cents for Black women producers and directors, according to Yahoo.

Taraji P. Henson is a recent example of a renowned actress advocating and highlighting pay discrepancies. In fact, amid the press tour for the musical adaptation of the 1985 film The Color Purple, Henson told the truth about the challenges she faced in the industry.

“I’m just tired of working so hard, being gracious at what I do, getting paid a fraction of the cost,” Henson said to TV personality Gayle King in a SiriusXM interview. “I’m tired of hearing my sisters say the same thing over and over. You get tired. I hear people go, ‘You work a lot.’ I have to. The math ain’t mathing. And when you start working a lot, you have a team. Big bills come with what we do. We don’t do this alone. It’s a whole entire team behind us. They have to get paid.”

The substantial differences between the different groups make Washington’s presence on the Forbes list even more eye-popping.

Obviously, Washington has an accomplished resume as an actor and producer, and, of course, he deserves his accolades and salary. Washington grossed $28 million in 2023, according to Forbes. But his only representation makes the absence of Black actors even more evident.

According to Afrotech, actor Terrence Howard felt he’s been lowballed for his work compared to non-POC entertainers.

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