Claire Foy Was Paid Less Than Her Male Co-Star While Playing The Literal Queen On ‘The Crown’
Prince Phillip was always jealous of her power.
Producers on Netflix’s gorgeous royal drama The Crown have admitted that star of the show Claire Foy — who plays the ACTUAL QUEEN — was paid less than her co-star Matt Smith during the first two seasons of the hit show.
As reported in Variety, The Crown producers Andy Harries and Suzanne Mackie told a television industry conference in Jerusalem that Smith, who played a young Prince Philip, was paid more than Foy owing to his Doctor Who fame. It seems a sadly indicative example of the gender pay discrepancy when the actress who plays the reigning monarch and focus of the show is paid less than her consort.
Claire Foy was reportedly paid $40,000 an episode, and won both a Golden Globe and a BAFTA for her sensitive and at times heartbreaking portrayal of Queen Elizabeth. The Crown also has the dubious honour of being one of the most expensive television shows ever produced, costing a reported $US130 million for the first season alone.
While acknowledging that there was a discrepancy, the producers haven’t disclosed how much more Smith was paid than Foy. They have, however, announced that the pay gap will be rectified.
“Going forward, no one gets paid more than the Queen,” Mackie told the audience.
Foy will not appear in the third series of The Crown, with Olivia Colman replacing her as a (slightly) older version of the Queen. Matt Smith will also be recast, in order to jump the series ahead in time.
Sorrry? Matt Smith got paid more than Claire Foy for the Crown??? Fucking outrageous. The bloody cheek, she was playing THE QUEEN, the fucking character the program was ABOUT! pic.twitter.com/EYVVX4vRJe
— Devon Rose (@iamdevonrose) March 13, 2018