Equal pay has been a hot topic in Hollywood lately, and it just got even hotter. It's been revealed that the two leading stars in the hit series The Crown were paid significantly different amounts, with Claire Foy who plays Queen Elizabeth taking home less than her co-star Matt Smith, who plays Prince Phillip.

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According to the BBC, Foy was paid around $40,000 per episode of the series, despite winning a Golden Globe for her performance. While it's not clear what Matt Smith made, it's known that it was a good deal higher than Foy thanks to his stint as the time-travelling hero Dr. Who. Producers state that Smith's fame garnered him the higher wage - but the public isn't happy about it. At a television industry conference in Jerusalem recently, co-producer Suzanne Mackie said that things would change. "Going forward, no-one gets paid more than the queen," she said.

The Weinstein scandal has seen the spotlight thrust heavily upon equality in Hollywood, with movements like #METOO and #TimesUp giving actresses and women the world over the courage to stand up for their rights. The difference in salary between the sexes is now a regularly debated topic. At the end of 2017 La La Land star Emma Stone topped the highest paid actress list at $26 million dollars for the year. On the other hand, Mark Wahlberg was the highest paid male, with an annual fortune of $68 million.

Wahlberg himself was brought into the row when sources revealed that he made an extra $1.5 million dollars for the reshoots of All the Money in the World after actor Kevin Spacey was replaced. His co-star Michelle Williams was paid a mere $80 a day, despite the two being represented by the same agency. When he was called out on it, he donated all of the money to Time's Up.

Both Foy and Smith will be replaced as the show goes into its third season. Olivia Colman will play the queen, but it isn't yet known who will take on the role of Prince Phillip.

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