Oscars 2015: Patricia Arquette criticised for urging 'all the gay people and all the women of colour' to join equal pay battle

The Boyhood actress pleaded with groups that she's 'fought for' to help older actresses be payed more

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As a Hollywood star, it's fair to assume that Patricia Arquette's not doing too badly.

Oscars 2015 winners list in full

But some of her ideas about who should be helping older women make more money weren't well recieved.

During her Oscars acceptance speech for Best Supporting Actress, Arquette made a rousing speech, campaigning for equal pay for women.

However, talking backstage, Arquette appeared to urge oppressed groups to fight the corner of older women being underpaid.

"It's time for all the women in America and all the men who love women and all the gay people and all the people of colour that we’ve fought for, to fight for us now," Arquette added off-stage.

Many pointed out the irony of a wealthy white woman begging people who are often worse off in society to help her out.

In the United States and the UK alike, white women are likely to earn more than most minority ethnic groups.

Prominent feminist activist Roxane Gay was among those to articulate what she believed was controversial about Arquette's remarks.