Mo’Nique is pushing for a Netflix boycott over the streamer’s “gender bias and color bias.” Per Page Six, the comedian and Oscar-winning actress posted a video on Instagram revealing that she was offered just $500,000 to tape a comedy special for the streamer, as compared to Amy Schumer’s $13 million and Chris Rock and Dave Chappelle’s $20 million per standup special.
“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,’” Mo’Nique recounts. She adds that Netflix claimed it doesn’t “go off of résumés” when negotiating pay. Mo’Nique rightfully calls bullshit on that: the fact that Schumer sold out Madison Square Garden twice is partially why Netflix agreed to up her pay from the original $11 million.
Despite the pay inequity, Netflix apparently assured Mo’Nique that it still considers her a legend. “Why shouldn’t I get what the legends are getting?” she wonders in the video.
After Mo’Nique went public with her story, fellow comedian and actress Wanda Sykes tweeted her support and disclosed that Netflix had offered her even less to tape her own special.
@moworldwide, thank you for speaking out. @netflix offered me less than half of your $500k. I was offended but found another home. #EPIX
A few years ago Mo’Nique spoke out about being labelled “difficult” after winning the best supporting actress Oscar for her role in “Precious.” “I got a phone call from [‘Precious’ director] Lee Daniels … And he said to me, ‘Mo’Nique, you’ve been blackballed.’ And I said, ‘I’ve been blackballed? Why have I been blackballed?’ And he said, ‘Because you didn’t play the game.’ And I said, ‘Well, what game is that?’ And he gave me no response.”
“I come from a blue-collar town — and being from that place, you learn not to let anybody take advantage of you,” she stressed. “You don’t let people mistreat you. You stand up for what’s right. So I can’t answer why he said I was blackballed.”
Mo’Nique’s more recent screen credits include “Last Christmas,” “Interwoven,” and Dee Rees’ HBO movie “Bessie.”
You can watch Mo’Nique’s entire video below.
