In an interview with Radio Times, Benedict Cumberbatch has said high-profile actors should boycott any projects that do not pay female stars the same as their male counterparts.
"Equal pay and a place at the table are the central tenets of feminism," said Cumberbatch. "Look at your quotas. Ask what women are being paid, and say, 'If she's not paid the same as the men, I'm not doing it'."
Cumberbatch also said he would be using his new production company, SunnyMarch, to champion female-focused dramas as well as creating opportunities for women around the company. The Avengers star said he and his business partner Adam Ackland were "proud" to be the only men in the company. "Our next project is a female story with a female lens about motherhood," Cumberbatch said.
"If it's centred around my name, to get investors, then we can use that attention for a raft of female projects. Half the audience is female!"