An Anne Hathaway-produced movie promised a Hollywood opportunity for thousands of background performers. But some say their experience on “Little Five” came with sweltering temperatures, disappointing meals and a frustrating wait for their paychecks.
Two performers described their experiences, with one single mother saying the delayed payments left her struggling after arranging childcare and taking time away from work. Now, Pigasus Pictures CEO Zachary Spicer is responding to the complaints and making clear that he, rather than Hathaway, was responsible for the production’s daily operations.
Inspired by Indiana University’s Little 500 bicycle race, “Little Five” follows a group of collegiate women who helped redefine the sport. Ariana Greenblatt and Rain Spencer lead the cast, with Hathaway’s Somewhere Pictures and Indiana-based Pigasus Pictures behind the project.
For one Chicago-based background actress, the booking initially sounded like an exciting way to earn extra money. “At first, I was really excited,” she told the Daily Mail anonymously. “I didn’t know about her involvement [prior to signing up], but I was a big fan.”
She traveled to Bloomington, Indiana, for filming that stretched from late July into August. Once work began, however, she said the combination of outdoor shoots, summer temperatures and fall wardrobe became difficult. “We were all getting fried, burnt,” she said. “They had sunscreen for us and they tried to give us breaks, but it was brutal.”
Cycling scenes added another challenge. The actress said she saw Greenblatt and Spencer repeatedly riding for close-up shots, although she never heard either star complain. “They tried their best but they’re not advanced cyclists,” she said.
A second performer told the outlet they experienced a “mild case of heat exhaustion” and had to miss work later in the week. “It was blazing hot,” that source said. “Most of my time that I was on set, we were outside in really, really hot and humid weather. I have asthma, so I had to really be careful.”
Producer Says Cooling Stations And Medical Teams Were Available
The second performer also credited production with allowing breaks and providing drinks and electrolyte packets, particularly earlier in the shoot. “They gave us breaks,” she said. Spicer defended the precautions taken during outdoor filming, telling the Daily Mail that safety was the company’s “highest concern.”
“Production maintained extensive safety measures throughout outdoor filming, including cooling tents, portable air conditioning, shaded areas, dedicated hydration personnel, on-site medical teams, EMTs and ambulances,” he said. “Cast and crew were encouraged to report any health concerns immediately and instructed to put their own personal health and safety first before any desired outcome of a shot or performance.”
Both sources confirmed that a medical tent was available. Spicer also confirmed that production removed a background performer after a concern was raised about his behavior. While one source claimed the response took time, Spicer said production “responded immediately.”
“The individual was removed from the premises, and additional security measures were implemented,” he added.
One Performer Compared The Meals To ‘Prison’
Food became another point of disagreement. The first actress claimed meals leaned heavily on chicken and rice, leaving her with limited choices because she does not eat chicken. “It was kind of like prison, to be honest, chicken and rice every day,” she said. “It seemed people weren’t taking the food because it just wasn’t that great.”
She said she was “just eating rice all week.”
The second performer offered a different account, saying the buffets were “better” than meals they had encountered on other productions.
Spicer disputed the suggestion that food choices were limited. “Meals for all cast, crew, and background were provided daily, with a variety of protein, starch, and vegetable options available,” he told the outlet.
The first actress also questioned how travel reimbursements and accommodation options were communicated. According to the Daily Mail, those arrangements were generally coordinated through a third-party background casting company.
Delayed Paychecks Left A Single Mom Waiting For Her Money
For the Chicago actress, the biggest frustration came after filming ended. She said she earned $1,025 during the week but received the money in separate checks, with the final payment arriving in October. “I was expecting that if I was working for the week that they would then send me the full amount, but they didn’t. The checks were just trickling in,” she said. “As a single mom, it’s very difficult. It was brutal when they just trickled in because I needed the full amount.”
The second performer said they were still missing a payment of around $200 when interviewed. The Daily Mail also reported obtaining three unpaid-wage complaints filed with the Illinois Department of Labor seeking $2,950, $4,015.12 and $1,369.80. Those figures represent the amounts sought in the complaints, rather than findings by the department.
Spicer previously acknowledged a payroll problem in a statement to Fox59. “The payroll issue has been resolved, and we apologize to those who contributed their time and talent to the film and were impacted by the issue,” he said.
He has since told the Daily Mail that all cast, crew and background performers “have been fully paid” and that “the production remains in good standing with its unions.” According to Spicer, processing paperwork and daily records for more than 10,000 background participants required additional time.
Pigasus Pictures Boss Says Responsibility Falls On Him
Neither source confirmed seeing Hathaway on set, although the first actress recalled a video message in which the star thanked the background performers. She described that gesture as “very sweet.” Hathaway and Somewhere Pictures had not responded to the Daily Mail’s requests for comment at the time of its report.
Spicer, meanwhile, said Pigasus independently financed the film and managed its physical production. He also directly addressed attempts to connect the complaints to others involved with the project. “I am responsible for the production’s financial administration, payroll, staffing, and day-to-day on-set operations,” Spicer said. “Any attempt to associate any issues or concerns with anyone other than myself would be untrue, unjust and unkind.”
