Claire Foy, ‘The Crown’ Star, Was Payed Less Than Co-Star Matt Smith

Claire Foy portrayed a younger Queen Elizabeth II in Netflix’s The Crown, enrapturing not only her on-screen husband Prince Philip (played by Matt Smith) but also the show’s audience, having won a Golden Globe for her performance. However, the show’s executive producers acknowledged on Tuesday at the INTV Conference that Foy was payed less than her male co-star.

CLAIRE FOY WAS PAYED LESS THAN MATT SMITH ON THE CROWN

Smith’s higher pay was influenced by how he was an established actor in Britain, with his biggest role being that of the eponymous Dr. Who from 2010 to 2013. Conversely, Foy was a relative unknown, with a non-headlining role in BBC’s Wolf Hall being her most recent televised appearance.

Although Smith’s salary has not been disclosed, Foy reportedly makes $40,000 per episode, remembering how each episode is allocated a budget of about $7 million. However, this gap will be addressed as The Crown continues into its anticipated third season. Suzanne Mackie, Left Bank Pictures’ creative director, said, “Going forward, no one gets paid more than the queen.” 

Foy will not see any of these gains, however, as both Elizabeth and Philip will be recast for the upcoming season, owing to how the third season is set a decade after the second, with Olivia Colman set to portray an older Queen Elizabeth. Regardless, Foy will remain active, having procured the lead role in The Girl in the Spider’s Web, which is slated to grace theaters on November 9, 2018.