Matt Smith has urged whoever follows him in ‘The Crown’ to make sure there is an even payday with the series’ leading actress.
The 35-year-old actor – who played Prince Philip in the first two series of the Netflix period drama – has given his successor Tobias Menzies some advice regarded the wages for the show.
Asked on the ‘Late Late Show’ what he’d told him, Matt joked: "Don’t do it! I said a few things to him […] God, make sure they pay you enough … and make sure it’s even."
The issue of equal pay for the series sparked controversy earlier this year, when it was revealed that Matt had earned £10,000 more than his co-star Claire Foy, who played Queen Elizabeth II.
Despite having less screen time and a lesser role than the monarch herself – who will be played by Olivia Colman in the third season – it’s said he was paid more because he was deemed to be a bigger star thanks to his success as the titular character in BBC sci-fi hit ‘Doctor Who’.
However, production company Left Bank Pictures later apologised, and confirmed that in the future "no one will be paid more than the queen".
Commenting on the media storm over the pay gap, Claire previously admitted while she was surprised to find herself in the middle of such a story, she isn’t shocked it made the waves it did.
She said: "I’m not surprised that people saw [the story] and went, ‘Oh, that’s a bit odd.’ But I know that Matt feels the same that I do, that it’s odd to find yourself at the centre [of a story] that you didn’t particularly ask for."
Matt Smith gives advice to The Crown successor
