Sienna Miller reveals Chadwick Boseman raised her '21 Bridges' pay with his own salary

The world was shocked by the passing of Chadwick Boseman in August, following a private four-year battle with colon cancer. Following the untimely loss, many of Boseman's friends, co-stars, and fans have come forward with tributes to the late actor, shedding light on his kind heart and the legacy he leaves behind.

In a new interview with Empire, Sienna Miller reveals that it was Boseman who fought for her to be cast in 21 Bridges, and he went out of his way to ensure she would be paid appropriately for the film they both starred in. “I didn't know whether or not to tell this story, and I haven't yet. But I am going to tell it, because I think it's a testament to who he was,” she notes.

Miller recalls that Boseman, who was a producer on the 2019 film, was set on having her join the cast despite her apprehension at taking on another job. “He was a fan of my work, which was thrilling, because it was reciprocated from me to him, tenfold,” she explains. “So he approached me to do it, he offered me this film, and it was at a time when I really didn't want to work anymore. I'd been working non-stop and I was exhausted, but then I wanted to work with him.”

Explaining why she remained hesitant to join the project, Miller continues, “This was a pretty big budget film, and I know that everybody understands about the pay disparity in Hollywood, but I asked for a number that the studio wouldn't get to. And because I was hesitant to go back to work and my daughter was starting school and it was an inconvenient time, I said, ‘I’ll do it if I'm compensated in the right way.’”

[video_embed id='2026131']RELATED: Michael B. Jordan honours Chadwick Boseman in heartfelt tribute attempt[/video_embed]

Because her desired compensation was, as Miller stated, beyond what the studio would agree to, Boseman decided to cut his own salary on the film to boost her pay. “Chadwick ended up donating some of his salary to get me to the number that I had asked for,” Miller explains. “He said that that was what I deserved to be paid."

According to Miller, that kind of generosity is entirely unexpected, if not unheard of, in the film industry. “That kind of thing just doesn't happen. He said, ‘You're getting paid what you deserve, and what you're worth.’ It's just unfathomable to imagine another man in that town behaving that graciously or respectfully. In the aftermath of this I've told other male actor friends of mine that story and they all go very very quiet and go home and probably have to sit and think about things for a while. But there was no showiness, it was, ‘Of course I'll get you to that number, because that's what you should be paid.’”

This sense of selflessness was, we’ve come to learn, an integral part of Boseman’s character, and even now he continues to inspire people in Hollywood and beyond with his gracious spirit. He has — in more ways than one — left us with a lasting and meaningful impression, through both his on-screen characters, and his off-screen spirit and unrelenting integrity.

[video_embed id='2025383']RELATED: Marvel pays tribute to Chadwick Boseman with emotional video[/video_embed]