Claire Foy finds it odd to be in midst of pay-gap uproar

CLAIRE FOY SAYS she finds it strange to be in the middle of Hollywood’s major pay-gap uproar, which started after the actress opened up about the salary gap between her and The Crown co-star Matt Smith (as a result of his Doctor Who fame).

“I’m surprised because I’m at the centre of it, and anything that I’m at the centre of like that is very, very odd, and feels very, very out of ordinary,” Foy told ew.com.

“But I’m not surprised about the interest in the story in the sense that it was a female-led drama. I’m not surprised that people saw the story and went, ‘Oh, that’s a bit odd’. But I know that Matt feels the same that I do, that it’s odd to find yourself at the centre of a story that you didn’t particularly ask for,” she added.

Left Bank Pictures, the production company behind The Crown, revealed that Smith was paid more for the first two seasons of the TV series, but added that going forward, “no one gets paid more than the Queen”.

The company later issued a formal apology for the pay gap. Foy and Smith’s tenure with the series ended with the second season.

For the third season, their characters – Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip – will be replaced by Olivia Colman and an unannounced actor to portray the royal couple during the years spanning 1964-1976.

Helena Bonham Carter will replace Vanessa Kirby as Princess Margaret.

I’m surprised because I’m at the centre of it, and anything that I’m at the centre of like that is very, very odd, and feels very, very out of ordinary.” Claire Foy