'Crazy Rich Asians' co-writer leaves sequel over pay parity issue: report

"Crazy Rich Asians" co-writer Adele Lim has quit the sequel of the film over a pay parity dispute, according to US media reports.

Warner Bros reportedly wants to shoot two back-to-back movies in the series after the first film, directed by Jon M Chu, became a global hit.

Lim, a veteran TV writer, who was hired by Chu to work on the screenplay of the film alongside co-writer Peter Chiarelli of 'The Proposal" fame, did not agree with the higher fee that Chiarelli was getting for the job, said the Hollywood Reporter.

"Being evaluated that way can't help but make you feel that is how they view my contributions," THR said quoting Lim, who believes that women and people of colour often are treated as "soy sauce" and not the main ingredient.

Though Lim did not talk about the amount, THR sources said that Warner Bros.' starting offers were USD 800,000 to USD 1 million for Chiarelli and USD 110,000-plus for Lim.

The studio, THR said, told Lim's representatives that the offer was as per industry standard and based on experience.

Meanwhile, Lim had already signed a first-position contract with Disney Animation for four years and is currently writing the screenplay of Awkwafina-starrer "Raya and the Last Dragon" for the studio.

Lim said Disney would have been willing to do a "carve out" on her availability.

The writer was offered another deal to come onboard the sequel in February where she was to be given a fee that was close to what Chiarelli was getting but she passed the offer. Chiarelli had volunteered to split his fee with Lim, who while grateful, refused to back down.

"Pete has been nothing but incredibly gracious, but what I make shouldn't be dependent on the generosity of the white-guy writer. If I couldn't get pay equity after Crazy Rich Asians, I can't imagine what it would be like for anyone else, given that the standard for how much you're worth is having established quotes from previous movies, which women of colour would never have been (hired for). There's no realistic way to achieve true equity that way," she said.