Chris Rock: Hollywood gender pay gap worse for black actresses

NEW YORK, Dec. 31 (UPI) -- Chris Rock says Jennifer Lawrence's essay about the gender pay gap in Hollywood overlooked black actresses, who have "the hardest gig in show business."

Rock, interviewed for a New Yorker profile about Saturday Night Live cast member Leslie Jones, implied that Lawrence's comments ignored the struggles of black actresses who he believes face even more adversity.

"Black women have the hardest gig in show business," he said in reference to Jones. "You hear Jennifer Lawrence complaining about getting paid less because she's a woman -- if she was black, she'd really have something to complain about."

In the article, Jones describes her experiences with race in the industry, including being pigeon-holed for certain roles and attempting to move away from performing at "black clubs" in hopes of reaching a new audience.

Rock was referring to Lawrence's essay in Lena Dunham's newsletter about leaving money behind in contract negotiations and refusing to come off as "adorable" when stating her opinion.