*sighs*
For the first two seasons of The Crown, Claire Foy earned less than her co-star Matt Smith.
According to Variety, the producers of the royal drama confirmed the pay disparity between the two actors – who played Queen Elizabeth II and her husband Prince Phillip, respectively.
Speaking during a panel about the series at the INTV Conference in Jerusalem, they said that the difference in salary was apparently due to Smith’s Doctor Who fame.
But one of the producers, Susan Mackie, said that The Crown planned to fix this going forward.
Implying that Season 3’s recently-cast Queen Elizabeth II, Olivia Colman, will not be paid less than her co-star, she said:
“Going forward, no one gets paid more than the Queen.”
The publication revealed last year that Foy made $40,000 an episode. It is not known how much Smith earned per episode.
Following the news of the difference in pay, fans took to social media to share their outrage.
Matt Smith was paid more for The Crown than Claire Foy. So just like!!!! Let that sink in!!!! pic.twitter.com/DC4B3iwlon
— AB (@AlannaBennett) March 13, 2018
I don't even watch #TheCrown but this is ridiculous. Claire Foy is the whole. damn. show. It literally does not work without her. She deserves back pay to make up for this.
— Samantha🇵🇸💜👩🏾💻👑🧜🏾♀️ (@Erulastiel14) March 13, 2018
As much as I love Matt Smith how can he be paid more than Claire Foy on the crown SHES LITERALLY THE QUEEN THE SHOW IS ABOUT HER #ImAngry #PayEquality pic.twitter.com/8vfEw9tVCv
— Jocelyn (@JocelynD19) March 13, 2018
https://twitter.com/thesamhill23/status/973664513089261568
The roles played by both Foy and Smith are being recast for the upcoming third and fourth series.
It has been announced that Olivia Colman will be playing Queen Elizabeth II, taking over the role from Claire Foy.
Meanwhile, Helena Bonham Carter is “all but confirmed” to take over the role of Princess Margaret from Vanessa Kirby.
There has been no official confirmation yet about who will be playing Prince Phillip, who has been played by Matt Smith for the last two seasons.
