It appears that the situation between Mo’Nique and Netflix is ongoing. Thursday, it was announced that the comedian sued Netflix on the grounds of racial and gender discrimination by attempting to underpay her for a one-hour stand-up comedy special in an offer made around November 2017.
Mo’Nique, who won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Mary Lee Johnston in the film Precious, revealed she was offered $500,000 for the special. She has been outspoken about the amount she was offered by Netflix being significantly less than men and white women who have had comedy specials with the streaming giant.
“Despite Mo’Nique’s extensive résumé and documented history of comedic success, when Netflix presented her with an offer of employment for an exclusive stand-up comedy special, Netflix made a lowball offer that was only a fraction of what Netflix paid other (non-Black female) comedians,” reads the lawsuit, which was filed in the Los Angeles County Superior Court. “When the talent was not a Black woman, Netflix offered to pay, and did pay, astronomically more than it pays to Black women, as it offered to Mo’Nique.”
Mo’Nique confirmed her decision to go on with her lawsuit against Netflix on her Instagram page.
“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,” Mo’Nique said in a statement on her Instagram page. “I chose to stand up.”
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Photo: Getty Images
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