Newly uncovered documents have revealed that Madonna supported a protest by crew members while filming the 1996 movie Evita.
Papers found in the British Film Institute archives show the singer signed a petition objecting to a decision that would have required crew members to pay half of their laundry costs when production moved from Argentina to Hungary.
Madonna, who was 38 at the time and played Eva Perón, added her name to a petition that stated the crew were "unanimous in their disapproval" of the directive and wanted the production company to continue covering the full cost of laundry, as it had done during filming in Buenos Aires.
"The unit are unanimous in their disapproval of this and wish the company to pay for the laundry. As has been the case in Buenos Aires."
A copy of the petition bearing Madonna's signature was discovered among the private papers of Sir Alan Parker, who directed the film adaptation of the stage musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice.
At the time of filming, Madonna had already been an international superstar for more than a decade, with hits including Like a Virgin and Papa Don't Preach.
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The documents suggest she signed the petition as a show of support for the crew rather than out of concern over the relatively small expense.
One of the film's producers reportedly discovered the petition after a copy was slipped under his hotel room door.
An internal memo found in the archive reads:
"For your info – found under Wimbury's door last night! Signed by Madonna!"
Other documents from the production show that Sir Alan was becoming increasingly frustrated by budget pressures during the making of Evita, warning that cost-cutting measures were damaging morale among both cast and crew.
