Part 5/10:
The discrepancy in pay highlights broader industry issues around gender, power, and valuation. Melissa McCarthy and Kristen Wiig, both established stars, received higher pay because of their proven box office draw. Jones, whose career was mainly rooted in television and Saturday Night Live, lacked comparable star power at the time. This reality underscores that pay disparities are often tied to bargaining power and market value, not necessarily to talent or effort.