‘The Crown’ star Matt Smith breaks silence on pay disparity
LOS ANGELES: Actor Matt Smith has finally spoken out about the news that he was paid more than his The Crown counterpart Claire Foy. Smith, who played Prince Philip in the first two seasons of the Netflix royal drama, told The Hollywood Reporter he supports Foy.
“Claire is one of my best friends, and I believe that we should be paid equally and fairly and there should be equality for all,” he said, adding: “I support her completely, and I’m pleased that it was resolved and they made amends for it because that what’s needed to happen. Going forward, I think we should all bear in mind that we need to strive to make this better and a more even playing field for everyone involved — but not just in our industry, in all industries.”
It’s unclear what Smith was referring to when he said Netflix and producers Sony Pictures Television Studios had “made amends.”
Smith spoke on the issue during the world premiere of his new film Mapplethorpe, in which he plays famed photographer Robert Mapplethorpe.
Last month, at a conference in Israel, producers revealed that Smith earned more than Foy for the first two seasons of the show.
While Foy played Queen Elizabeth in the first two seasons of the drama, Smith came to the show after three seasons starring as The Doctor on Doctor Who. Left Bank creative director and executive producer Suzanne Mackie acknowledged that Smith’s experience on Doctor Who fuelled the salary disparity but vowed, “Going forward, no one gets paid more than the Queen.”
The roles of Queen Elizabeth, Prince Philip and Princess Margaret have all been recast with older actors ahead of The Crown’s third season.
After the news of the pay gap generated controversy, Left Bank apologised to both Smith and Foy.
“We want to apologise to both Claire Foy and to Matt Smith, brilliant actors and friends, who have found themselves at the centre of a media storm this week through no fault of their own,” the production company behind The Crown said in a statement. “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.”