‘Obsession’s Behind-the-Scenes Controversy Is Just Part of a Bigger Hollywood Problem

One of the biggest breakout hits of 2026 so far is Curry Barker‘s Obsession, the tale of a smitten young man who wishes for his work crush to fall in love with him — only to get a twisted and deadly version of what he wanted. Making $229 million from the worldwide box office thus far from a $750,000 budget, it’s been a massive victory for low-budget, independent horror. However, a story emerged last week that dampened the celebrations.

The film’s art director, Sally Choi, shared her experience working on the film on Instagram, complaining of low pay and harsh conditions. Her reveal has been met with varying reactions online, some applauding her for pointing out the more exploitative aspects of the industry, and some criticizing her for ingratitude and “buyer’s remorse,” given that she agreed to her fee prior to working on the film. Regardless of where you fall in that argument, one thing that many agree on is that more headlines like this continue to emerge. As the film industry looks to rebound from COVID-19 and several strikes, people in all departments are being asked to do more for less.

‘Obsession’s Art Director Is Unfortunately a Small Part of Hollywood’s Broken System

Choi’s account of her experience begins with her pay, which was $300 per day and an estimated $6741.36 after taxes, without compensation for mileage. She told of long shooting hours, taking on roles beyond her job description, unpaid volunteer crew members, and being discouraged from “flipping” (a term for when crew members organize a non-union set to transition to a union set mid-shoot). She encouraged other crew members to report their experience and earnings in order to “turn a tide in the film industry,” but even without those voices, numerous reports from other productions have painted a picture of similar treatment. Indeed, in a follow-up post, Choi remarked: “What I posted struck a nerve, not because it was a singular story of being overlooked, but because this happens every day, in and out of the film industry.”

In 2025, Best Picture Oscar winner Anora made headlines for a crew member who reported resistance to crew “flipping” to a union shoot, with Sean Baker allegedly throwing a “hissy fit” when the change came in (a Hollywood Reporter investigation would later speak to other crew members who refuted that account). Perhaps the most extreme example is Rust, which became infamous due to an on-set accident that resulted in the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. Reports emerged of crew walking off the set prior to the accident, complaining of unpaid wages, insufficient accommodation, and safety concerns.

Numerous anonymous complaints have become commonplace on social media, on pages such as IATSE Stories, where members of the IATSE union send in messages talking of bad pay, tight deadlines, and mounting pressure to deliver. Independent and studio productions have come to prize speed and economy, a demand that means going above and beyond is the only way to get things done.

Even Oscar Nominees Can’t Pay Their Rent

Image via NEON

One argument that might be leveled at Sally Choi’s account is that, while the pay and conditions may have been unacceptable, the struggle is worth being associated with a worldwide hit, which could lead to more lucrative work. That may seem logical, but many who reach Hollywood’s pinnacle have spoken about doing so while being low-balled or even losing money.

During an interview on Marc Maron‘s WTF podcast, Brady Corbet said that he made “zero dollars” from his Oscar-winning film The Brutalist, and that he knew fellow nominees who “can’t pay their rent.” Making a film on a low budget — followed by up to a year of promotion and Oscar campaigns (all of which are unpaid) — leaves little room to make other income.

Marvel Has a Rough History of Unfair Pay

Despite Marvel breaking several box office records, numerous actors involved with the superhero juggernaut have complained of low pay, or broken promises regarding future rewards. Hugo Weaving, who played one of the first Marvel villains, Red Skull, in 2011’s Captain America: The First Avenger, said that he refused to reprise the role in sequels or Avengers crossovers as the company offered a lower salary than the one before. “The promise when we first signed the contracts was that the money would grow each time,” he told Time Out in 2020, adding: “I actually found negotiating with them through my agent impossible.”

Another Avengers villain, Carrie Coon, declined to reprise her Avengers: Infinity War role of Proxima Midnight for its follow-up, Avengers: Endgame. Her husband, actor and writer Tracy Letts, revealed on The Big Picture Podcast that she asked for a raise due to Infinity War‘s success, and was told, “Well, you should feel yourself fortunate to be part of the Marvel Universe.” The lowball offers are not just reserved for supporting actors: Jeremy Renner went public with his upset about being offered half his original salary for Disney+ series Hawkeye to return for the second season, while Sebastian Stan, now a regular fixture in the MCU, revealed to EW the pay for his first Marvel appearance was not enough to cover his rent. It’s reasonable to assume that securing a part in the Marvel Universe would offer at least some form of financial success and stability.

Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, and Colman Domingo Are Fighting for Change

Before we condemn the industry as a whole, it should be noted that there are some productions — both independent and big-budget film — that are working toward a fairer system. The 2023 film Sing Sing, starring Colman Domingo, was noted for the fact that everyone on set — from the PAs to Domingo himself — was paid the same daily rate, along with a varying percentage of equity in the film based on the amount of work they participated in. This, according to a Hollywood Reporter interview with director Greg Kwedar and co-writer Clint Bentley, allowed below-the-line workers to obtain a livable wage while still rewarding major stakeholders and keeping the film under budget.

At the other end of the scale, Artists Equity founders Ben Affleck and Matt Damon negotiated a novel deal with streamer Netflix to secure performance-based bonuses on their film The Rip, which paid out after it met its viewership goals on the platform. Affleck told The New York Times the deal was done due to a desire to “institute fairness and address some of the real issues that are present and urgent for our business.”

Unfortunately, these are rare exceptions in an industry where there are more examples of Sally Choi’s experience than there are of the reverse. Many creatives in all industries find themselves accepting less out of a fear of having to leave an industry that they worked so hard to be a part of. While not every case can be described as exploitation, it has created an accepted norm for film productions that pushes people’s passions to breaking point. Hopefully, Choi’s Instagram post will lead to a bigger, more permanent change in the industry.

Release Date

May 15, 2026

Runtime

108 minutes

Director

Curry Barker