Claire Foy was left embarrassed by The Crown’s pay disparity scandal, and will be changing her approach to the industry as a result of it.
The British actress, who has won awards for her portrayal of Queen Elizabeth II in the show, previously told The Hollywood Reporter that she was surprised to be at the centre of the controversy, after the Netflix show’s producers revealed she was paid less than her co-star Matt Smith, who played Prince Philip.
She has now opened up to Britain’s Daily Telegraph, revealing that it was embarrassing but has had a positive impact on her because she won’t be naive about pay anymore.
“It definitely opened my eyes to a lot. And I certainly won’t be naive about those things,” she said. “It’s really opened my eyes about what I am allowed to have an opinion about, and what I’m allowed to stand up for myself about.
“And I think that’s really changed my approach to myself and other women in this industry. It’s been only a positive thing – even though, embarrassing.”
Matt recently spoke out about the controversy for the first time in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, in which he hinted that Claire received a pay rise after the salary difference was exposed.
“Claire is one of my best friends, and I believe that we should be paid equally and fairly. I support her completely, and I am pleased that it was resolved and they made amends for that because that what’s needed to happen,” he said.
“Going forward, I think we should all bear in mind we need to strive to make this better, a more even playing field, for everyone involved – but not just in our industry, in all industries.”
Both stars have finished their runs on the show, and will be replaced by Olivia Colman and Tobias Menzies respectively for the next two seasons.
