Left Bank Pictures, producers of The Crown over at Netflix, issued an official apology to Claire Foy and Matt Smith in regards to the gender pay gap.
The statement, via the Hollywood Reporter, reads as follows:
“We want to apologize to both Claire Foy and to Matt Smith, brilliant actors and friends, who have found themselves at the center of a media storm this week through no fault of their own. Claire and Matt are incredibly gifted actors who, along with the wider cast on The Crown, have worked tirelessly to bring our characters to life with compassion and integrity.
As the producers of The Crown, we at Left Bank Pictures are responsible for budgets and salaries; the actors are not aware of who gets what and cannot be held personally responsible for the pay of their colleagues.
We understand and appreciate the conversation which is rightly being played out across society and we are absolutely united with the fight for fair pay, free of gender bias, and for a rebalancing of the industry’s treatment of women, both those in front of the camera and for those behind the scenes. We all have a responsibility to do what we can to ensure that these issues are tracked, and as a leading production company we want to make our contribution to the debate.”
The story about the difference in pay between Foy and Smith broke on March 13 during a conference in Israel. Foy, who plays Queen Elizabeth in the popular drama, was revealed to had been paid less than her co-star in the first two seasons.
Smith, who plays Prince Phillip had been a more widely recognized figure prior to The Crown. “He had been Doctor Who,” executive producer Suzanne Mackie said in Jerusalem via Deadline. Going forward, she said, “It’s really important for the Queen to be paid more.”
The news led to a strong online reaction, with a petition calling Smith and Netflix to donate the difference in pay to Time’sUp. Smith has not responded.
What are your thoughts on the controversy? Should Smith and Netflix donate the money? Let us know in the comments below.
Michelle Williams addresses Mark Wahlberg’s donation to Time’s Up Legal Defense Fund