Netflix and Mo’Nique have resolved the two-year legal ordeal in which the streaming platform was accused of racial and gender discrimination by the Oscar-winning actress. Both parties amicably moved to dismiss the lawsuit on Tuesday. While reports of a $50 million settlement circulate, actual terms of any compensation has not been revealed.
The 2019 lawsuit filed by Mo’Nique, also known as Mo’Nique Hicks, in the Los Angeles County Superior Court stems from a contract negotiation with Netflix in 2017 where she was offered $500,000 to do an exclusive one-hour, stand-up comedy special for the platform. The contract would grant Netflix sole ownership of the content and prevent Mo’Nique, 54, from performing on the road for a number of years.
When Mo’Nique’s management accused the company of lowballing her because of her race and gender and attempted to pursue a higher offer with Netflix based on the standard quota being allocated to her comedy peers, such as Amy Schumer, Ellen DeGeneres, Chris Rock, Jerry Seinfeld, and Dave Chappelle, who were all paid in the millions, Netflix decided to dead the deal.
For reference, allegedly, Schumer negotiated a $13 million deal, Chappelle obtained $60 million for three specials, and Seinfeld signed a $100 million deal with the streaming platform.
Mo’Nique, who was seeking an unspecified amount in damages, contested that Netflix was imploring discriminatory and retaliatory practices in deciding her offer and refusing to negotiate in good faith. Netflix denied the allegations and said that the “offer to Mo’Nique was fair” and the company would be “fighting this lawsuit.” The court’s opinion on the merit of the lawsuit sided with Mo’Nique.
“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,” District Court Judge Andre Birotte Jr. said in 2020. “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.”
