The production company behind the Netflix drama The Crown admitted on Tuesday that its star, Claire Foy, was paid less than her co-star, Matt Smith.
Foy won a Golden Globe for her portrayal of Queen Elizabeth, and was reportedly paid $40,000 per episode for the first two seasons of the show. The producers didn't say how much Smith, who played Prince Philip, earned, but revealed it was more than Foy because he was known for his work on Doctor Who. Suzanne Mackie, creative director of the production company Left Bank, said that "going forward, no one gets paid more than the Queen."
This is the latest example of pay disparity between men and women in the entertainment industry. Both Foy and Smith are leaving The Crown, but not over pay — when The Crown's third season starts filming in July, it will be with an entirely new cast, as the show is moving forward in time to the 1970s.
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