Executive producers of the Netflix series “The Crown” confirmed that series star Claire Foy was paid less than co-star Matt Smith. Reports had surfaced that Foy, who plays Queen Elizabeth II, earned less than Smith, who portrays Prince Philip. Producers said the inequity was influenced by Smith’s experience as an actor. The 35-year-old star joined The Crown after starring as the 11th Doctor in three seasons of the BBC series Doctor Who. However they did promise that “going forward, no one gets paid more than the Queen,” according to executive producer Suzanne Mackie. It was first reported by Variety that Foy made $40,000 per episode. The 33-year-old actress played Queen Elizabeth in the first two seasons, but will be replaced by Olivia Colman in Season 3 as the show’s timeline progresses. Foy was a relative unknown prior to The Crown and won a Golden Globe for her performance in Season 1. She was also nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Season 1.
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