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ABC News reported in November 2000, citing Entertainment Weekly, that Lucy Liu received $1 million for the first Charlie’s Angels, compared with Cameron Diaz’s reported $12 million and Drew Barrymore’s reported $9 million. The available reporting does not establish why Liu’s reported amount was lower, and Barrymore’s figure covered both starring and co-producing.
What were the reported salaries?
ABC News’s November 20, 2000 report attributed these figures to Entertainment Weekly:
| Actor | Reported amount | What the report says it covered |
|---|---|---|
| Cameron Diaz | $12 million | Described as her “payday”; no further breakdown stated in the report. |
| Drew Barrymore | $9 million | Starring and co-producing the first film. |
| Lucy Liu | $1 million | Described as her take; no further breakdown stated in the report. |
These are reported amounts, not verified contract figures. ABC News was relaying figures attributed to Entertainment Weekly; the cited coverage does not include contracts, payroll records, or direct confirmation from the performers. Because Barrymore’s reported amount included co-producing, the three figures are not a clean comparison of acting fees alone. ABC News’s report
Why was Liu’s reported amount lower?
The available sources do not give a definitive reason. They do not document the film’s negotiations, the terms of each performer’s contract, or a studio explanation for the differences. It would therefore be speculation to say that Liu’s pay was lower for one particular reason.
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What contemporary coverage suggested
A May 7, 2000 Guardian article reported “suggestions” that Liu was annoyed by the gap between her wage and those of her “more famous fellow Angels,” Barrymore and Diaz. The article presents this as speculation, not as a confirmed statement from Liu or proof of how the contracts were set. The Guardian’s article
The wider industry context
A January 2000 Los Angeles Times feature discussed the competition to cast Alex, the role Liu won, and described the limited opportunities women had to headline action films. It also placed women’s reported pay in a broader context of lower earnings than top male action stars. That context helps explain the industry landscape of the time, but it does not establish why the three performers’ reported amounts differed on this film. The Los Angeles Times feature
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What the figures can—and cannot—tell you
The reports support a comparison of the amounts attributed to the performers, with an important qualification about Barrymore’s producing role. They do not establish each actor’s complete compensation, the precise contractual terms, or the reason for the gap. No direct statement from Liu, Diaz, or Barrymore about the first film’s pay appears in these cited accounts.
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