The "Precious" star launched a legal battle against the streaming service giant in 2019, accusing them of racial and gender discrimination after they offered her $500,000 for a comedy special.
- Jun 17, 2022
AceShowbiz - Mo'Nique has settled her lengthy legal battle with Netflix. Having filed a lawsuit against the streaming service in 2019, the 54-year-old comic agreed on Tuesday, June 14 to dismiss the lawsuit "including without limitation all claims alleged therein, with prejudice, with each party to bear her or its own costs, expenses, and attorneys' fees."
No further details of the settlement were disclosed. Meanwhile, Mo'Nique initially accused Netflix of racial and gender discrimination after they offered her $500,000 for a comedy special. She insisted that they offered stars, such as Amy Schumer, Chris Rock and Dave Chappelle, much more.
In her original lawsuit, the "Precious: Based on the Novel PUSH by Sapphire" star claimed Netflix "did the opposite" when she asked them to reconsider her "discriminatory" pay offer. Her lawsuit stated, "The offer Netflix made Mo'Nique wreaked of discrimination; it perpetuated the pay gap suffered by Black women."
"Mo'Nique objected to Netflix's discriminatory pay offer, pointed out how it was discriminatory and asked Netflix to do the right thing by negotiating fair pay with her. In response, Netflix did the opposite," her suit further stated. "It dug its heels in the ground, refused to negotiate fairly and stood behind its discriminatory offer."
The suit also references the fact Amy was initially offered $11 million for her 2017 special, but received more after objecting to the fact Chris and Dave had been paid a rumored $20 million for theirs. It said, "In stark contrast, when a white female comedian objected to her offer (given how much lower it was than comparable males), Netflix reconsidered and upped her offer."
Mo'Nique also claimed Netflix blacklisted her in retaliation for her previously speaking out on the subject.
Netflix said at the time they would fight the lawsuit. A spokesperson said, "We care deeply about inclusion, equity, and diversity and take any accusations of discrimination very seriously. We believe our opening offer to Mo'Nique was fair - which is why we will be fighting this lawsuit."
They moved to have the case dismissed in 2020, but their request was rejected.
Judge Andrew Birotte Jr. ruled at the time, "Mo'Nique plausibly alleges that, after she spoke out and called her initial offer discriminatory, Netflix retaliated against her by shutting down its standard practice of negotiating in good faith that typically results in increased monetary compensation beyond the 'opening offer' and denying her increased compensation as a result."
"While Netflix argues that the novelty of Mo'Nique's claim and the absence of on-point legal authority for it should bar her retaliation claims outright, the Court disagrees."
