Mo’Nique settled her years-long dispute against Netflix earlier this year, and months later, she sued Paramount and CBS over unpaid royalties from her hit television series, “The Parkers.”
“I just want the contractual compensation I’ve earned,” she stated in a statement shared by AP.
However, the ongoing writers and actors strikes have the comedic actress drawing comparisons to her fight for equal pay and equal rights.
“HEY MY SWEET BABIES FOLKS KEEP ASKING ME HOW I FEEL ABOUT THE STRIKE!
AS YOU CAN SEE FROM ABOVE I’VE BEEN VERBALLY STRIKING FOR YEARS,” Mo’Nique wrote in her caption on Instagram on July 19.
“BUT SOME OF MY BROTHERS & SISTERS AS THE VIDEO SHOWS HAVE BEEN STRIKING ME DOWN FOR YEARS.”
Mo’Nique caption was paired with a video collage of past television appearances, where she addressed how she was mistreated and labeled as “difficult” in the industry over allegations against Oprah Winfrey and Tyler Perry, as well as contractual obligations that were reportedly not met regarding the promotion of her role in Lee Daniels’ 2007 film, “Precious.”
Years later in 2018, she called for fans to boycott Netflix for offering her a “lowball” offer for a comedy special.
Over the video, it reads, “But when Mo’Nique spoke on the inequalities…But when Mo’Nique Said it . . . F**k out of Here She was bitter. She was greedy. She was difficult. She needed to be grateful.”
The Emmy-winning actress continued in her caption, “YES I SUPPORT THE WGA & SAG/AFTRA THATS WHY @countessdvaughn & I FILED A LAWSUIT TO GET OUR MONEY FROM THE PARKERS!!! @countessdvaughn WE ARE THE PARKERS!!! I LOVE US 4REAL!!!”
‘The Parkers” starring Countess Vaughn as Kim Parker and Mo’Nique as her mother, Nikki Parker was a spinoff of “Moesha.” It ran for five seasons between 1999 and 2004 and jumped from UPN to The CW Network. The show has been available for streaming on Netflix since October 2020.
Most fans appeared to agree with Mo’Nique’s approach to speaking up and out loud despite what may follow.
“YOU SAID IT! Believed you since day one!!! Stood ten toes down on your own!!!”
“It’s cool when they do it but it was a problem when she did it or whatever that boy song say.”
“She has a point. Everyone attacked her for speaking up about getting underpaid/being undervalued. Now it’s coming out most of the people in the industry are experiencing the same things!”
“I have alot respect for Mo. She did what everyone else was scared to do. Where was the Beyoncé Jay-Z Denzel Washington Will Smiths Oprah Etc. We gotta learn to come together we stronger if we stand together.”
Thousands of Hollywood screenwriters from the Writer’s Guild of America went on strike in May over an ongoing labor dispute to increase funding and job security due to AI technology. Actors from the SAG/AFTRA haven recently joined the writers on the front lines holding picket signs in demand of better pay from streaming.
The strike has also impacted movie premieres, festivals, and awards shows and fans are unclear about when they will return. This year’s, MTV Movie and TV Awards live show has been canceled and replaced with a pre-taped ceremony.
The premiere of Disney’s live-action movie “Haunted Mansion” took place with Disney characters instead of the actual actors in the film that includes Tiffany Haddish, LaKeith Stanfield, Owen Wilson, and others.
