Claire Foy didn't receive back pay

1 August 2018

Claire Foy claims she didn't receive £200,000 in back pay following the gender pay gap scandal over her role in 'The Crown'.

Claire Foy

The 34-year-old actress was paid £10,000 less per episode than her co-star Matt Smith when she starred as Queen Elizabeth II in the Netflix drama series, and it was reported in April this year that she would be receiving the whopping sum as back pay in order to plug the pay gap.

However, the Golden Globe-winning star has now revealed the reports were "not quite correct".

She said: "That was what was reported, that I was back-paid. I've never mentioned anything about it and neither have the producers. The fact that that is 'fact' is not quite correct."

Claire didn't reveal whether she received less than reported or if she received any money in back pay at all, but added that the gender pay gap expands beyond the entertainment industry.

Speaking to Dubai-based news channel Al Arabiya, she added: "It happened at the same time as it was coming out with a lot of other people that there was a lot of pay inequality across the board - in the music industry, in journalism, in every industry. It's across the board that it became part of a bigger conversation, which is an odd place to find yourself in."

Matt had reportedly received a bigger pay cheque for his role as Claire's on-screen husband Prince Philip - who had less screen time and was a lesser role than the monarch herself - because he was deemed to be a bigger star thanks to his success as the titular character in BBC sci-fi hit 'Doctor Who'.

Meanwhile, the 'Unsane' actress previously revealed how the gender pay gap "opened her eyes" and says the ordeal has stopped her from being "naive" about her pay.

She shared: "It definitely opened my eyes to a lot. And I certainly won't be naïve about those things. It's really opened my eyes about what I am allowed to have an opinion about, and what I'm allowed to stand up for myself about.

"And I think that's really changed my approach to myself and other women in this industry. It's been only a positive thing - even though, embarrassing."