The issues between Mo’Nique and Netflix have been settled.
According to reports, on June 14th, both Mo’Nique and Netflix decided to have the case dismissed. In 2017, the streaming service company reached out to the comedian for a comedy special when they are actively getting stand-up content.
However, things didn’t go far during the negotiations process when the Oscar winner did not agree with the $500,000 she was being offered for a one-hour show that she didn’t have any control over. It was also because she would not be owning the copyright and keeping the audio-only rights to the special.
Mo’Nique would go on to protest Netflix and then sue them for “refusing to budge beyond its initial opening offer.”
The lawsuit read, “The offer made to Mo’Nique was merely an opening offer from which there was an expectation- both by Netflix and Mo’Nique of continued negotiations likely leading to increased compensation being offered to Mo’Nique.”
It went on to say, “Once Mo’Nique engaged in protected conduct by protesting the discriminatory offer, Netflix shut down any further negotiations and refused to negotiate in good faith consistent with its standard practices.”
The actress would release a statement of her own and called for people to boycott Netflix as well. “I couldn’t accept that low offer because if I did… I couldn’t sleep at night. If I accepted $500,000, what does Tiffany Haddish have coming? If I accept that, what does the Black female comedian have coming? Because what they’ll say is ‘Mo’Nique accepted this and she’s got that.’ So what do they have coming?” she said.
Netflix responded to those claims at the time. “ “We believe our opening offer to Mo’Nique was fair – which is why we will be fighting this lawsuit.” Since then the judge who presided over the case agreed with Mo’Nique.
The judge wrote, “At the very least, Mo’Nique’s allegations permit the plausible inference that, had she not challenged her offer as discriminatory, Netflix would have continued negotiating in good faith with her and increased her offer, consistent with its customary practice in dealing with talent in the entertainment industry.”
Netflix has yet to respond on this matter.