Da'Vine Joy Randolph Calls For Better Pay For Theatre Artists

Da'Vine Joy Randolph is calling for better pay for theatre artists.

The Tony-nominee and recent Oscar-winner sat down with Variety before the Oscars to look back on highlights from her career.

During the interview, she reminisced on starring in Ghost the Musical on Broadway in 2012, which led into her "PSA announcement" about better pay for theatre actors.

“This is like my PSA announcement and I really do mean this. They have to pay these artists better. It’s not okay. Theatre artists in particular break their backs, literally, to do beautiful work and they’re not getting paid their worth.”

The Philadelphia native and Yale graduate made her Broadway debut as Oda Mae Brown in Ghost the Musical, which earned her a Tony Award nomination. She calls starring in Ghost a "life-changing" and "beautiful experience," while also being "one of the hardest things" she's ever done.

“I was a lead in a musical and I could barely pay my rent. I’m in Harlem in a one bedroom apartment struggling.”

Randolph goes on to say that she is unsure about a return to Broadway. She continues to encourage theatre actors to "know your worth," but she states she would not feel comfortable if she is now worth more just due to her experience in TV and film.

"I'm in a privileged situation now. So if I do go back to Broadway, it's still not going to be my worth but it'll be better than most and that's not fair and I wouldn't feel comfortable to be in a position because I embarked on TV and film, that because of that, now when I come back I'm gonna get paid better? My gifts aren't no better than nobody else on that stage."

Following her star turn in Ghost, Randolph went on to star in television projects like Empire, Only Murders in the Building, and The Idol. She won her Oscar for her acclaimed performance in The Holdovers.

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