Latest news with #TheElectricState
Scottish Sun
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Millie Bobby Brown wows in tiny bikini on the beach weeks after hitting back at trolls over red carpet appearance
A MILLIE-ON DOLLARS Millie Bobby Brown wows in tiny bikini on the beach weeks after hitting back at trolls over red carpet appearance MILLIE Bobby Brown wowed fans in a skimpy bikini – weeks after hitting back at trolls over her red carpet appearance. The Stranger Things star, 21, looked incredible as she posed on a gorgeous beach with a bright blue sky behind her. Advertisement 8 Stranger Things star Millie Bobby Brown wowed on the beach in new snaps Credit: Instagram 8 Millie showed off her amazing figure Credit: Instagram 8 The star posed next to the shore Credit: Instagram 8 She revealed her new look at the LA premiere of The Electric State in March Credit: Getty Wearing a green and white string bikini, Millie held her hands to her head as she soaked up the sunshine on a white sandy shore. She captioned the snap wit a string of beach-themed emojis. The post quickly racked up 1.3 million likes and over 33,000 comments, with famous pals like Tilly Ramsay showing their support. The sizzling shot comes just weeks after Millie shot down cruel critics after she was mocked online over her appearance at The Electric State premiere in Los Angeles. Advertisement Some fans accused her of 'looking 40 not 21', with one saying: 'Had to double-check if she turned 21 or 40.' Others cruelly claimed she looked like a 'soccer mum' in her glamorous £8,000 gown and new blonde hair. Comedian Matt Lucas took it a step further by comparing Millie to his Little Britain character Vicky Pollard. He even shared a side-by-side photo and her infamous catchphrase: 'No but yeah but.' Advertisement Millie didn't take it lying down and fired back on Instagram. She said: 'Disillusioned people can't handle seeing a girl become a woman on her terms, not theirs. Millie Bobby Brown addresses public scrutiny 'I refuse to apologise for growing up… I will not be shamed for how I look, how I dress, or how I present myself.' She blasted those joining in on the jibes, adding: 'You're amplifying an insult instead of questioning why a grown man is mocking a young woman's appearance.' Advertisement Millie's emotional video went viral and celebs flooded the comments to praise her. Sex and the City star Sarah Jessica Parker said: 'Enormously proud of you. xxx.' F1 champ Lewis Hamilton wrote: 'So truly proud of you Millie.' Singer Pixie Lott added: 'You are a true class act… always beyond beautiful inside and out.' Advertisement Matt Lucas later apologised, saying: 'I thought you looked terrific… I realise it upset you and for that, I apologise.' Millie has grown up in front of the cameras since landing her breakout role as Eleven on Stranger Things aged just 10. Now a fully-fledged Hollywood star, she's raking in around £10million for the show's final season – a massive jump from the £8,000 per episode she earned back in season one. Her latest film, The Electric State, dropped on Netflix in March and saw her star opposite Chris Pratt, Woody Harrelson, and Stanley Tucci. Advertisement She also appeared in the Enola Holmes movies, Godzilla: King of the Monsters, and last year's Netflix fantasy flick Damsel. This isn't the first time Millie has clapped back over comments on her looks. After being trolled over her appearance in Enola Holmes, she hit back: 'Women grow!! Not sorry about it!' Fans have previously speculated about cosmetic work – from lip fillers to veneers – but Millie has never confirmed any procedures. Advertisement As well as shaking up her image, she's also settled down. She secretly married model Jake Bongiovi, 22 – son of rocker Jon Bon Jovi – last year in a low-key ceremony in the US. The pair began dating in 2021, and Jake proposed during a scuba diving trip by hiding the ring inside a shell. Jon Bon Jovi gave the couple his blessing, saying: 'They're going to be great together.' Millie has even expressed interest in playing Britney Spears in a future biopic, saying: 'Her story resonates with me, growing up in the public eye.' Advertisement 8 Millie in 2016, as Eleven in season one of Stranger Things Credit: Netflix 8 In an Instagram post, Millie fumed that she was: 'Disillusioned people can't handle seeing a girl become a woman on her terms, not theirs' Credit: Instagram 8 The star with husband Jake Bongiovi, who is the son of singer Jon Bon Jovi Credit: Splash 8 The star on the red carpet for the Enola Holmes 2 premiere in 2022 Credit: Getty
The Irish Sun
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Millie Bobby Brown wows in tiny bikini on the beach weeks after hitting back at trolls over red carpet appearance
MILLIE Bobby Brown wowed fans in a skimpy bikini – weeks after hitting back at trolls over her red carpet appearance. The Stranger Things star, 21, looked incredible as she posed on a gorgeous beach with a bright blue sky behind her. 8 Stranger Things star Millie Bobby Brown wowed on the beach in new snaps Credit: Instagram 8 Millie showed off her amazing figure Credit: Instagram 8 The star posed next to the shore Credit: Instagram 8 She revealed her new look at the LA premiere of The Electric State in March Credit: Getty Wearing a green and white string bikini, Millie held her hands to her head as she soaked up the sunshine on a white sandy shore. She captioned the snap wit a string of beach-themed emojis. The post quickly racked up 1.3 million likes and over 33,000 comments, with famous pals like The sizzling shot comes just weeks after READ MORE ON MILLIE Some fans accused her of 'looking 40 not 21', with one saying: 'Had to double-check if she turned 21 or 40.' Others cruelly claimed she looked like a 'soccer mum' in her glamorous £8,000 gown and new blonde hair. Comedian He even shared a side-by-side photo and her infamous catchphrase: 'No but yeah but.' Most read in Celebrity Millie didn't take it lying down and fired back on Instagram. She said: 'Disillusioned people can't handle seeing a girl become a woman on her terms, not theirs. Millie Bobby Brown addresses public scrutiny 'I refuse to apologise for growing up… I will not be shamed for how I look, how I dress, or how I present myself.' She blasted those joining in on the jibes, adding: 'You're amplifying an insult instead of questioning why a grown man is mocking a young woman's appearance.' Millie's emotional video went viral and celebs flooded the comments to praise her. Sex and the City star F1 champ Lewis Hamilton wrote: 'So truly proud of you Millie.' Singer Pixie Lott added: 'You are a true class act… always beyond beautiful inside and out.' Matt Lucas later apologised, saying: 'I thought you looked terrific… I realise it upset you and for that, I apologise.' Millie has grown up in front of the cameras since landing her breakout role as Eleven on Stranger Things aged just 10. Now a fully-fledged Hollywood star, she's raking in around £10million for the show's final season – a massive jump from the £8,000 per episode she earned back in season one. Her latest film, The Electric State, dropped on Netflix in March and saw her star opposite Chris Pratt, Woody Harrelson, and Stanley Tucci. She also appeared in the Enola Holmes movies, Godzilla: King of the Monsters, and last year's Netflix fantasy flick Damsel. This isn't the first time Millie has clapped back over comments on her looks. After being trolled over her appearance in Enola Holmes, she hit back: 'Women grow!! Not sorry about it!' Fans have previously speculated about cosmetic work – from lip fillers to veneers – but Millie has never confirmed any procedures. As well as shaking up her image, she's also settled down. She secretly married model Jake Bongiovi, 22 – son of rocker Jon Bon Jovi – last year in a low-key ceremony in the US. The pair began dating in 2021, and Jake proposed during a scuba diving trip by hiding the ring inside a shell. Jon Bon Jovi gave the couple his blessing, saying: 'They're going to be great together.' Millie has even expressed interest in playing Britney Spears in a future biopic, saying: 'Her story resonates with me, growing up in the public eye.' 8 Millie in 2016, as Eleven in season one of Stranger Things Credit: Netflix 8 In an Instagram post, Millie fumed that she was: 'Disillusioned people can't handle seeing a girl become a woman on her terms, not theirs' Credit: Instagram 8 The star with husband Jake Bongiovi, who is the son of singer Jon Bon Jovi Credit: Splash 8 The star on the red carpet for the Enola Holmes 2 premiere in 2022 Credit: Getty
Daily Record
09-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Netflix most expensive film but fans all have one huge complaint
The Electric State, starring Millie Bobby Brown and Chris Pratt, is Netflix's most expensive movie to date - but it has been savaged by critics, who branded it 'dull as dirt' With a reported budget of $320 million, an all-star cast, and a mere 14 per cent approval rating from critics, perhaps that's all you need to know about Netflix's latest spectacle (or should we say disaster?), The Electric State. The film boasts a stellar cast including Millie Bobby Brown, Chris Pratt, Ke Huy Quan, Stanley Tucci, Woody Harrelson, Jenny Slate, Giancarlo Esposito, Jason Alexander, Brian Cox, and Anthony Mackie, who all bring their talents to a mix of live-action and voiceover roles in this 2025 sci-fi flick. Directed and produced by the Russo brothers, Anthony and Joe Russo, the screenplay is loosely based on Simon Stålenhag's eponymous 2018 illustrated novel, adapted for the screen by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely. Released on Netflix on March 14 this year, The Electric State is without a doubt the streaming giant's most expensive film to date, with a staggering $300 million plus price tag resting on its action-packed shoulders. The film paints a picture of an alternate 1990 where a war between robots and humans has left the world in chaos, reports Surrey Live. Despite the criticism, The Electric State managed to rack up 25.2 million views within the first three days of its release. It even inspired a video game, The Electric State: Kid Cosmo, released by Netflix Games for iOS and Android just four days after the film's debut on the platform. However, none of this could shield The Electric State from the harsh reviews it received from critics. One critic didn't hold back, saying: "It looks phenomenal - the quality of the special effects is exceptional. But this is soulless, emotionally inert storytelling." Another reviewer was less than impressed, writing: "The plot is a watered-down grab-bag of old, tired ideas." A different take by a reviewer labelled the movie as "The movie is obvious, garish and just plain dumb", while yet another branded it "dull as dirt". Meanwhile, The Electric State was criticised for having "no soul, no originality, just a great big multicolour wedge of digital content". However, cinema-goers seemed to have enjoyed the spectacle much more, with one fan saying: "This movie is absolutely fire. What were the critics thinking when they made a review. This movie is always action-packed, has a beaming audience and has a good mix of action, horror and humour. Definitely worth a watch!". Adding to the positive vibes, another viewer highlighted their enjoyment saying: "I really enjoyed this movie. It was fun, light, creative, and had a non-formulaic plot. No, this is not a critics darling or a Cannes contender, but I would watch it again. What a fun cast! I wish Hollywood took more risks like this." Disagreeing with the harsh professional opinions, one individual recommended the film as a "fun watch" and stood puzzled over the critical bashing, suggesting The Electric State was "better than so many garbage movies". Millie Bobby Brown gushed about working with Chris Pratt, telling Extra: "I actually met him at an awards show many, many, many years ago. And I remember freaking out and going, 'Oh, my God! That's Chris Pratt!' To be able to - years, years, years forward - to work alongside him is a dream come true."
Newsweek
02-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
How Old Every 'Stranger Things' Cast Member Will Be When the Finale Airs
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Stranger Things first hit screens back in July of 2016, with the Netflix hit helping to launch the careers of its young cast, the youngest of whom was 9 when the show first aired. Fans of the series have been waiting for season 5 for three years, feeling like it got stuck in the Upside Down. It's now been confirmed that the first four episodes of the fifth and final season will launch in November. But how old will the cast be by the time the finale airs? 'Stranger Things,' cast members, recipients of the Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series award, pose in the press room during The 23rd Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at The Shrine Auditorium... 'Stranger Things,' cast members, recipients of the Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series award, pose in the press room during The 23rd Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at The Shrine Auditorium on January 29, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. MoreHow Old Will 'Stranger Things' Actors Be When Finale Airs? This is how old the cast members of Stranger Things will be when the finale airs, on December 31, 2025. Millie Bobby Brown Millie Bobby Brown attends the world premiere of Netflix's "The Electric State" at The Egyptian Theatre Hollywood on February 24, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. Millie Bobby Brown attends the world premiere of Netflix's "The Electric State" at The Egyptian Theatre Hollywood on February 24, 2025 in Los Angeles, of the most famous members of the Stranger Things cast, Brown first joined the show when she was 12. She plays the character Eleven/Jane Hopper. Brown will be 21 in real life when the finale premiers. In Season Four, her character was 15. Finn Wolfhard Finn Wolfhard attends Netflix Tudum 2025: The Live Event at The Kia Forum on May 31, 2025 in Inglewood, California. Finn Wolfhard attends Netflix Tudum 2025: The Live Event at The Kia Forum on May 31, 2025 in Inglewood, California. Photo by Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic Wolfhard was 13 when he joined the show to play the character Mike Wheeler. He will be 23; his character was 15 at the end of the fourth season. Noah Schnapp Noah Schnapp attends Netflix Tudum 2025: The Live Event at The Kia Forum on May 31, 2025 in Inglewood, California. Noah Schnapp attends Netflix Tudum 2025: The Live Event at The Kia Forum on May 31, 2025 in Inglewood, California. Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic Schnapp plays Will Byers and was 11 when he joined the show. He will be 21 when the finale premiers. His character was 15 at the end of the fourth season. Gaten Matarazzo Actor Gaten Matarazzo attends the photocall for Crunchyroll Anime Awards Red Carpet at Grand Prince Hotel Takanawa on May 25, 2025 in Tokyo, Japan. Actor Gaten Matarazzo attends the photocall for Crunchyroll Anime Awards Red Carpet at Grand Prince Hotel Takanawa on May 25, 2025 in Tokyo, Japan. Jun Sato/WireImage Matarazzo was 13 when he joined the cast and will be 23. His character Dustin Henderson was 15 at the end of the fourth season. Caleb McLaughlin Caleb McLaughlin attends Netflix Tudum 2025: The Live Event at The Kia Forum on May 31, 2025 in Inglewood, California. Caleb McLaughlin attends Netflix Tudum 2025: The Live Event at The Kia Forum on May 31, 2025 in Inglewood, California. Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic McLaughlin was 14 when he joined the show to play Lucas Sinclair. He'll be 24 when the finale premiers; his character was 15 at the end of the fourth season. Sadie Sink Sadie Sink attends the 78th Annual Tony Awards Meet The Nominees Press Event at Sofitel New York on May 08, 2025 in New York City. Sadie Sink attends the 78th Annual Tony Awards Meet The Nominees Press Event at Sofitel New York on May 08, 2025 in New York Tony Awards Productions Sink, who plays the character Max Mayfield, joined the show when she was 14. She'll be 23 when the finale premiers; her character was 15 at the end of the fourth season. Natalia Dyer (L-R) Natalia Dyer and Charlie Heaton attend "Stranger Things: The First Shadow" - Broadway Opening Night at Marquis Theatre on April 22, 2025 in New York City. (L-R) Natalia Dyer and Charlie Heaton attend "Stranger Things: The First Shadow" - Broadway Opening Night at Marquis Theatre on April 22, 2025 in New York Netflix Dyer was 21 when she joined the show to play Nancy Wheeler. She'll be 30 when the finale premiers and her character was 18 in season 4. Charlie Heaton Charlie Heaton attends "Stranger Things: The First Shadow" - Broadway Opening Night at Marquis Theatre on April 22, 2025 in New York City. Charlie Heaton attends "Stranger Things: The First Shadow" - Broadway Opening Night at Marquis Theatre on April 22, 2025 in New York Netflix Heaton was 22 when he took on the role of Jonathan Byers. He'll be 31 when the finale premiers and his character was 18 when season 4 aired. Joe Keery Joe Keery visits SiriusXM Studios on March 06, 2025 in New York City. Joe Keery visits SiriusXM Studios on March 06, 2025 in New York plays Steve Harrington and was 24 when he joined the show. He'll be 33 when the finale premiers; his character was 19 in season 4. Maya Hawke Maya Hawke attends the 2025 Met Gala Celebrating "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style" at Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 05, 2025 in New York City. Maya Hawke attends the 2025 Met Gala Celebrating "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style" at Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 05, 2025 in New York who plays Robin Buckley, was 18 when she joined the show. She'll be 27 when the finale premiers. Her character was 18 in Season 4. Priah Ferguson Priah Ferguson attends the "Stranger Things: The First Shadow" Broadway Opening Night at Nederlander Theatre on April 22, 2025 in New York City. Priah Ferguson attends the "Stranger Things: The First Shadow" Broadway Opening Night at Nederlander Theatre on April 22, 2025 in New York was the youngest cast member when she joined the show at only 9 years old. She'll be 19 when the finale premiers and plays Erica Sinclair, who was 11 at the beginning of the show. Joseph Quinn Joseph Quinn attends the CCXP Mexico 2025 at Expo CitiBanamex on May 31, 2025 in Mexico City, Mexico. Joseph Quinn attends the CCXP Mexico 2025 at Expo CitiBanamex on May 31, 2025 in Mexico City, Mexico. Toyafor Disney Quinn plays Eddie Munson. He was 22 when he joined the show, will be 31 when the finale premiers. His character was 20 when he joined the show. What Is the Release Date for 'Stranger Things' Season 5? The fifth and final season of Stranger Things will be broken up into three parts. The first volume, which will be comprised of four episodes, will be released on November 26. Volume two, which will contain the next three episodes, will be released on Christmas Day. Then, the finale, titled "The Rightside Up," will be released on New Year's Eve. It has not been confirmed how long each of these episodes will be. Some episodes of the fourth season lasted over an hour, and the finale ran for nearly two-and-a-half hours. (Top Row L-R) Charlie Heaton, Maya Hawke, Jamie Campbell Bower, Shawn Levy, Matthew Modine, Matt Duffer, Ross Duffer, Cara Buono, Brett Gelman, Charlie Heaton, Joseph Quinn, David Harbour, Dan Cohen, Joe Keery (Bottom Row L-R)... (Top Row L-R) Charlie Heaton, Maya Hawke, Jamie Campbell Bower, Shawn Levy, Matthew Modine, Matt Duffer, Ross Duffer, Cara Buono, Brett Gelman, Charlie Heaton, Joseph Quinn, David Harbour, Dan Cohen, Joe Keery (Bottom Row L-R) Caleb Mclaughlin, Finn Wolfhard, Noah Schnapp, Bela Bajaria, Millie Bobby Brown, Sadie Sink, Gaten Matarazzo, Natalia Dyer, Priah Ferguson, Emily Morris, and Eduardo Franco attend Netflix's "Stranger Things" Season 4 New York Premiere at Netflix Brooklyn on May 14, 2022 in Brooklyn, New York. MoreWhat Do We Know About Season 5 of 'Stranger Things'? The official synopsis for the season reads: "The fall of 1987. Hawkins is scarred by the opening of the Rifts, and our heroes are united by a single goal: find and kill Vecna. But he has vanished—his whereabouts and plans unknown. "Complicating their mission, the government has placed the town under military quarantine and intensified its hunt for Eleven, forcing her back into hiding. As the anniversary of Will's disappearance approaches, so does a heavy, familiar dread. "The final battle is looming—and with it, a darkness more powerful and more deadly than anything they've faced before. To end this nightmare, they'll need everyone—the full party—standing together, one last time." Netflix released an announcement video for the final season, though it mostly contained footage from previous seasons. There were some clips of the cast in action for Season 5, including Joyce with an ax and Hopper holding Eleven while her nose bleeds.
CTV News
29-05-2025
- Business
- CTV News
CEO pay rose nearly 10% in 2024 as stock prices and profits soared
Ted Sarandos arrives at the premiere of "The Electric State" on Monday, Feb. 24, 2025, at The Egyptian Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File) The typical compensation package for chief executives who run companies in the S&P 500 jumped nearly 10 per cent in 2024 as the stock market enjoyed another banner year and corporate profits rose sharply. Many companies have heeded calls from shareholders to tie CEO compensation more closely to performance. As a result, a large proportion of pay packages consist of stock awards, which the CEO often can't cash in for years, if at all, unless the company meets certain targets, typically a higher stock price or market value or improved operating profits. The Associated Press' CEO compensation survey, which uses data analyzed for The AP by Equilar, included pay data for 344 executives at S&P 500 companies who have served at least two full consecutive fiscal years at their companies, which filed proxy statements between Jan. 1 and April 30. Here are the key takeaways from the survey: A good year at the top The median pay package for CEOs rose to $17.1 million, up 9.7 per cent. Meanwhile, the median employee at companies in the survey earned $85,419, reflecting a 1.7 per cent increase year over year. CEOs had to navigate sticky inflation and relatively high interest rates last year, as well as declining consumer confidence. But the economy also provided some tail winds: Consumers kept spending despite their misgivings about the economy; inflation did subside somewhat; the Fed lowered interest rates; and the job market stayed strong. The stock market's main benchmark, the S&P 500, rose more than 23 per cent last year. Profits for companies in the index rose more than 9 per cent. '2024 was expected to be a strong year, so the (nearly) 10% increases are commensurate with the timing of the pay decisions,' said Dan Laddin, a partner at Compensation Advisory Partners. Sarah Anderson, who directs the Global Economy Project at the progressive Institute for Policy Studies, said there have been some recent 'long-overdue' increases in worker pay, especially for those at the bottom of the wage scale. But she said too many workers in the world's richest countries still struggle to pay their bills. The top earners Rick Smith, the founder and CEO of Axon Enterprises, topped the survey with a pay package valued at $164.5 million. Axon, which makes Taser stun guns and body cameras, saw revenue grow more than 30 per cent for three straight years and posted record annual net income of $377 million in 2024. Axon's shares more than doubled last year after rising more than 50 per cent in 2023. Almost all of Smith's pay package consists of stock awards, which he can only receive if the company meets targets tied to its stock price and operations for the period from 2024 to 2030. Companies are required to assign a value to the stock awards when they are granted. Other top earners in the survey include Lawrence Culp, CEO of what is now GE Aerospac e ($87.4 million), Tim Cook at Apple ($74.6 million), David Gitlin at Carrier Global ($65.6 million) and Ted Sarandos at Netflix ($61.9 million). The bulk of those pay packages consisted of stock or options awards. The median stock award rose almost 15 per cent last year compared to a 4 per cent increase in base salaries, according to Equilar. 'For CEOs, target long-term incentives consistently increase more each year than salaries or bonuses,' said Melissa Burek, also a partner at Compensation Advisory Partners. 'Given the significant role that long-term incentives play in executive pay, this trend makes sense.' Jackie Cook at Morningstar Sustainalytics said the benefit of tying CEO pay to performance is 'that share-based pay appears to provide a clear market signal that most shareholders care about.' But she notes that the greater use of share-based pay has led to a 'phenomenal rise' in CEO compensation 'tracking recent years' market performance,' which has 'widened the pay gap within workplaces.' Some well-known billionaire CEOs are low in the AP survey. Warren Buffett's compensation was valued at $405,000, about five times what a worker at Berkshire Hathaway makes. According to Tesla's proxy, Elon Musk received no compensation for 2024, but in 2018 he was awarded a multiyear package that has been valued at $56 billion and is the subject of a court battle. Other notable CEOs didn't meet the criteria for inclusion the survey. Starbucks' Brian Niccol received a pay package valued at $95.8 million, but he only took over as CEO on Sept. 9. Nvidia's Jensen Huang saw his compensation grow to $49.9 million, but the company filed its proxy after April 30. The pay gap At half the companies in AP's annual pay survey, it would take the worker at the middle of the company's pay scale 192 years to make what the CEO did in one. Companies have been required to disclose this so-called pay ratio since 2018. The pay ratio tends to be highest at companies in industries where wages are typically low. For instance, at cruise line company Carnival Corp., its CEO earned nearly 1,300 times the median pay of $16,900 for its workers. McDonald's CEO makes about 1,000 times what a worker making the company's median pay does. Both companies have operations that span numerous countries. Overall, wages and benefits netted by private-sector workers in the U.S. rose 3.6% through 2024, according to the Labor Department. The average worker in the U.S. makes $65,460 a year. That figure rises to $92,000 when benefits such as health care and other insurance are included. 'With CEO pay continuing to climb, we still have an enormous problem with excessive pay gaps,' Anderson said. 'These huge disparities are not only unfair to lower-level workers who are making significant contributions to company value – they also undercut enterprise effectiveness by lowering employee morale and boosting turnover rates.' Some gains for female CEOs For the 27 women who made the AP survey — the highest number dating back to 2014 — median pay rose 10.7 per cent to $20 million. That compares to a 9.7 pre cent increase to $16.8 million for their male counterparts. The highest earner among female CEOs was Judith Marks of Otis Worldwide, with a pay package valued at $42.1 million. The company, known for its elevators and escalators, has had operating profit above $2 billion for four straight years. About $35 million of Marks' compensations was in the form of stock awards. Other top earners among female CEOs were Jane Fraser of Citigroup ($31.1 million), Lisa Su of Advanced Micro Devices ($31 million), Mary Barra at General Motors ($29.5 million) and Laura Alber at Williams-Sonoma ($27.7 million). Christy Glass, a professor of sociology at Utah State University who studies equity, inclusion and leadership, said while there may be a few more women on the top paid CEO list, overall equity trends are stagnating, particularly as companies cut back on DEI programs. 'There are maybe a couple more names on the list, but we're really not moving the needle significantly,' she said. Prioritizing security Equilar found that a larger number of companies are offering security perquisites as part of executive compensation packages, possibly in reaction to the December shooting of UnitedHealthCare CEO Brian Thompson. Equilar said an analysis of 208 companies in the S&P 500 that filed proxy statements by April 2 showed that the median spending on security rose to $94,276 last year from $69,180 in 2023. Among the companies that increased their security perks were Centene, which provides health care services to Medicare and Medicaid, and the chipmaker Intel. __ Reporters Matt Ott and Chris Rugaber in Washington contributed. Mae Anderson And Paul Harloff, The Associated Press
