
Mo'Nique Files Lawsuit Against Netflix For Pay Discrimination
Update: 6:09 PM ET (November 13) - Netflix has issued the following statement in response to Mo’Nique’s allegations:
"We care deeply about inclusion, equity, and diversity and take any accusations of discrimination very seriously. We believe our opening offer to Mo'Nique was fair -- which is why we will be fighting this lawsuit.”
Read the original story below.
Mo'Nique is taking Netflix to court and suing them for pay discrimination. The comedienne took to her Instagram account to personally share the news and why she's decided to move forward with her decision.
"Hey, My Loves," she begins her Instagram post. "I can confirm that today I filed a pay discrimination lawsuit against Netflix.
"I had a choice to make: I could accept what I felt was pay discrimination or I could stand up for those who came before me and those who will come after me," she continues. "I choose to stand up. I don't have any further comment at this time, but I appreciate all of your support and love."
In January 2018, the former late-night show host asked that her fans and the black community boycott the streaming platform after they allegedly lowballed her for a potential comedy special. "I'm asking that you boycott Netflix for color bias and gender bias," she shared in an Instagram video post. "I was offered a $500,000 deal last week to do a comedy special. However, Amy Schumer was offered $11 million, Chris Rock and Dave Chappelle, $20 million. Then Amy Schumer went back and renegotiated 2 more million dollars because she said, ‘I shouldn’t get what the men are getting, they’re legends. However, I should get more’ and Netflix agreed."
Mo'Nique went on to add that when she and her team asked Netflix to explain the difference between her and Schumer, Netflix allegedly believed Mo'Nique's proposed pay reflected how much revenue the Academy Award-winning actress would bring in, despite being a comic legend.
Since her call-to-action last year, the entertainer has sat with The Breakfast Club after being dubbed "Donkey of the Day" and has done a number of interviews discussing her "blackballing" issues with Oprah Winfrey, Lee Daniels, and Tyler Perry. In February, she and Steve Harvey had a passionate discussion on his talk show about how black entertainers maneuver in Hollywood, integrity, and Mo'Nique's fight for equality.
"Each one of you said to me, 'Mo'Nique you're not wrong,' and when I heard you go on the air and you said that my sister done burned too many bridges and there's nothing I can do for her now," she said. "Steve, do you know how hurt I was?"