Angelina Jolie's $20 Million Salt Pay Day Helps Break Gender Barriers In Hollywood

When we think of female action stars, Angelina Jolie is certainly the first name that comes to mind, and with her latest flick Salt, it seems like the 35-year-old Oscar winner is also helping break down gender barriers in Hollywood.

Jolie was paid a whopping $20 million for the action film which was originally supposed to star Tom Cruise, but the movie was rewritten just for her. Salt producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura tells The Hollywood Reporter, "It's definitely unusual that a female has become an action star. But it's a funny thing. She's not a female action star; she's an action star. She's really the first female to transcend gender. I don't think it's occurred before."

Over the past 10 years, Jolie has starred in five action blockbusters (Wanted, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider and Gone in 60 Seconds) that averaged $124 million in domestic grosses, and globally, those grosses add up to nearly $1.5 billion.

Only Angelina could save the world, be a mother to six kids and help erase gender inequality in the movie industry!