Comedian and Oscar-nominated actress Mo’Nique has “amicably” settled a 2017 lawsuit against Netflix, in which she claimed she was given a “low-ball” offer for a comedy special and then retaliated against when she cried foul.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, both parties agreed to drop any legal action in exchange for an undisclosed settlement.
At the time, Mo’Nique leveled claims of race and sex discrimination against the streaming service, claiming the $500,000 she was offered by the streamer paled in comparison to the multimillion deals Netflix gave Dave Chappelle, Amy Schumer and others.
For her part, Mo’Nique said at the time she couldn’t accept the deal, knowing that her name would be used as a way to tamp down the requested price tag for other Black female comics, like Tiffany Haddish and others.
“When Mo’Nique, one of the most well-known black female comedians in America, faced that anachronistic attitude, she knew it was time to challenge the status quo,” said her attorney, Michael W. Parks, in a statement at the time.
Netflix had denied the Precious Oscar nominee’s discrimination accusations.
However, The Hollywood Reporter notes a federal judge overseeing the case agreed with Mo’Nique’s assertions, calling it “plausible” that her name and her salary — had she agreed to it — could be used “in dealing with talent in the entertainment industry.”
Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.