Just when you thought Mo’nique was done with Netflix, she hits you again with a “hey my loves.”
Just when Netflix thought it’s biggest problem was Disney +, Mo’Nique is back again. Last year, actress and comedian Mo’Nique got the gears turning on a controversial topic of the role of black women in the entertainment industry when she made public the details of a potential deal with Netflix. It was in a clip posted to social media that Mo’Nique explained that she was offered $500,000 for a comedy special on the streaming platform—an offer the Academy Award winner turned down because of what she perceived to be a disparate figure in comparison to her track record and the lucrative deals secured by her peers.
“I am asking that you stand with me and boycott Netflix for gender bias and color bias,” she said began. “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 […] When we asked Netflix to explain the difference, why the money was so different, they said, ‘Well, we believe that’s what Mo’Nique will bring. We said, ‘What about my résumé?’ […] Why shouldn’t I get what the legends are getting?”
Now, according to the folks over at TMZ, Mo’Nique is finally taking her accusations against Netflix for discrimination to a court of law and filed a lawsuit. According to the suit, she claims Netflix has a severe lack of diversity, which contributes to their discriminatory practices. Specifically, she claims one Netflix exec. — the Chief Communications Officer — used the n-word in a meeting with 60 people in 2018. Mo’Nique was not present for that meeting.
She also claims Netflix allowed Kevin Spacey to use the n-word while on the set of “House of Cards” without any consequence. In the suit, she alleges Spacey complained to his personal security guards, “I don’t want [n-words] on my set anymore.” She’s not suing Spacey.
Mo’Nique also used a major pay gap on the Netflix hit, “The Crown,” to illustrate alleged discrimination. She says the actress who plays Queen Elizabeth II was paid $14k per episode less than the actor who played Prince Philip — and it only righted the wrong after there was a public outcry about it.
She’s suing Netflix for unspecified damages, and for an injunction forcing the company to change its discriminatory policies. What do you guys think? Do you think Netflix owes Mo’Nique a payday?
