Doctor Who and the Queen's Paycut

Queen Elizabeth II makes less than Prince Phillip? And it’s all Doctor Who’s fault!!!

 

Two producers of Netflix's royal family drama "The Crown" admitted that Claire Foy, the actress who plays the lead character, Queen Elizabeth II, was paid less than Matt Smith who plays Prince Philip. 

 

Suzanne Mackie, creative director  on "The Crown”  said that Smith received a larger paycheck due to his fame as the titular character on the long-running BBC sci-fi series "Doctor Who."  Claire Foy was relatively unknown when she was cast to play the Queen.

 

Ok, it sort of make sense. Matt Smith was a marquee name from his four years on Doctor Who so it stands to reason that his compensation would  be impacted by that notoriety.

 

However, Queen Elizabeth II is the lead character in The Crown. It is her journey as monarch that drives the narrative. While Smith’s level of fame may have boosted his pay, it seems to me that Foy’s level of responsibility of carrying this damn show should  reflect a commiserate level of compensation.  

 

I can see how Smith’s fame may have driven up his salary in a supporting role to match the lead role but it should not exceed the lead actor’s pay. 

 

Suzanne Mackie  did note that "going forward, no one gets paid more than the Queen.” 

 

The show is recasting roles as the characters age. Starting in Season 3, the Queen will be portrayed by Olivia Colman. New casting for Prince Phillip has not been announced. 

 

Meanwhile, Claire Foy and Matt Smith are off to decidedly less royal and less glamorous roles with Patient Zero, a horror film Smith shot in 2015 finally set to be released sometime this year and Claire Foy will be seen in Unsane, a psychological horror-thriller film by Steven Soderbergh due to be released next weekend.