You would have thought the key would be in the name of the show, but apparently not.
It's been revealed the critically acclaimed performance of actress Claire Foy on Netflix series The Crown, despite garnering her a Golden Globe and Emmy nomination, earned her less than her male co-star.
Producers of the show revealed on Tuesday that Matt Smith, who played Prince Philip in the first two seasons, earned significantly more than Foy, who played a young Queen Elizabeth II. While it wasn't revealed exactly how much he earned, Foy reportedly earned around US$40,000 per episode, according to a 2017 report from Variety.
Variety also reported the show had a production budget of around US$7 million per episode.
Left Bank creative director Suzanne Mackie said Smith made more money than Foy due to his fame, from playing the eleventh Doctor on the hit British series Doctor Who. However she said the pay disparity was a mistake that won't be repeated. "Going forward," Mackie said on Tuesday, "no one gets paid more than the Queen."
Foy won't be around to enjoy that however. Broadchurch actress Olivia Colman will take over as an older Queen Elizabeth in future seasons.
Viewers took to Twitter in outrage at the news.
Newshub.
