Little Five Extras Describe Heat, Meal and Pay Disputes

A Chicago-based extra told the Daily Mail she filmed in Bloomington, Indiana, from late July into August, when summer heat and fall clothing made outdoor work difficult. “We were all getting fried, burnt,” she said, adding that sunscreen and breaks were provided. Another performer said they experienced a “mild case of heat exhaustion,” later missing work, and had to be cautious because they have asthma. They also said production provided breaks, drinks and electrolyte packets.

Spicer said safety was the company’s “highest concern,” citing cooling tents, portable air conditioning, shaded areas, hydration personnel, medical teams, EMTs and ambulances. He also said a background performer was removed after a behavior concern was raised; one source said the response took time, while Spicer said production acted immediately and added security measures.

The extras gave differing accounts of meals. One said chicken and rice were served repeatedly and that she ate only rice for a week; the other described the buffet as better than food on some other productions. Spicer said daily meals included a variety of protein, starch and vegetable options.

Pay was the main concern for the Chicago performer, who said she earned $1,025 for a week but received it in installments, with the final check arriving in October. A second performer said about $200 was still unpaid when interviewed. The Daily Mail reported three Illinois Department of Labor wage complaints seeking $2,950, $4,015.12 and $1,369.80; those are amounts requested, not findings by the department. Spicer said the payroll issue had been resolved and all performers, cast and crew had been paid, adding that records for more than 10,000 background participants took extra time to process.

Spicer said Pigasus independently financed the film and managed its physical production. He said he was responsible for payroll, staffing, financial administration and daily set operations, rejecting attempts to attribute any issues to others involved. Hathaway and Somewhere Pictures had not responded to the Daily Mail’s requests for comment when it published its report.