Netflix is Being Sued by This Actress for Race and Gender Discrimination

According to actress Mo’Nique, Netflix is doing her wrong.

The streaming giant is being sued for race and gener discrimination as Monique accuses the company of trying to drastically underpay her for a stand-up special after offering other stars tens of millions of dollars.

Mo’Nique filed her suit in Los Angeles County Superior Court this week and alleges that Netflix gave a “biased, discriminatory” offer to Mo’Nique for a one-hour comedy special around November 2017.

In the 39-page filing, the actress calls out everyone from the top executives of the Netflix management team to highlighting the gender wage gap and lack of diversity in Hollywood.

“Despite Mo’Nique’s extensive résumé and documented history of comedic success, when Netflix presented her with an offer of employment for an exclusive stand-up comedy special, Netflix made a lowball offer that was only a fraction of what Netflix paid other (non-Black female) comedians,” reads the lawsuit.

Mo’Nique is seeking unspecified damages and her lawsuit was filed on her behalf by attorneys at the deRubertis Law Firm, APC and Schimmel & Parks, APLC.

Mo’Nique had been offered $500,000 as a “talent fee,” an offer the lawsuit claims was significantly less than those offered to men and white women for the same type of stand-up original specials.

“When the talent was not a Black woman, Netflix offered to pay, and did pay, astronomically more than it pays to Black women like it offered to Mo’Nique,” the lawsuit states.

In comparison Chris Rock had reportedly been offered $40 million for his deal with Netflix back in 2016 for two specials. The same is said for comedian Ricky Gervais.

“Thus, Netflix reportedly offered or paid Rock, Chapelle, Degeneris, and Gervais forty (40) times more per show than it offered Mo’Nique, and it offered Schumer twenty-six (26) times more per show than Mo’Nique,” the lawsuit said. “In short, Netflix’s offer to Mo’Nique perpetuates the drastic wage gap forced upon Black women in America’s workforce.”

The lawsuit also claims Netflix’s Board of Directors has “historically lacked racial diversity and, instead, has been white-only for years. For years, the Board lacked even one Black member — let alone, a Black female” and highlights “in 2018 and 2019 respectively, Netflix reported that only 4% and 6% of its workforce being comprised of Black employees. In other words, while its senior management specifically lacks racial diversity, Netflix’s workforce generally also underrepresents Black workers compared to the general population.”

“Netflix is one of Hollywood’s most innovative companies, yet it not only perpetuates racial and gender inequality, it also takes advantage of a gender pay gap that disproportionately affects black women,” said Mo’Nique’s lawyer, Michael W. Parks. “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.”

Disclaimer: We have no position in Netflix Inc. (NASDAQ: NFLX) and have not been compensated for this article.