Matt Smith breaks silence over The Crown gender pay gap

'I'm pleased that it was resolved and they made amends for it because that what's needed to happen'

Matt Smith has finally shared his thoughts on the revelation he was paid more than his co-star in The Crown, Claire Foy.

“Claire is one of my best friends, and I believe that we should be paid equally and fairly and there should be equality for all,” the actor told The Hollywood Reporter. ”I support her completely, and I’m pleased that it was resolved and they made amends for it because that what’s needed to happen.”

“Going forward, I think we should all bear in mind that we need to strive to make this better and a more even playing field for everyone involved – but not just in our industry, in all industries.”

Smith starred as Prince Philip opposite Foy’s Queen Elizabeth in the first two seasons of the Netflix drama.

It’s unclear what the “amends” Smith referenced are – Netflix has been contacted for clarification.

The Crown‘s production company – Left Bank Pictures – has issued a statement of apology to both Smith and Foy. “We want to apologise to both Claire Foy and to Matt Smith, brilliant actors and friends, who have found themselves at the centre of a media storm this week through no fault of their own.”

Underlining that actors are not aware of what their colleagues are being paid, the production company said they “are absolutely united with the fight for fair pay, free of gender bias, and for a rebalancing of the industry’s treatment of women, both those in front of the camera and for those behind the scenes.”

Responding to the controversy last month, Foy said: “I’m surprised because I’m at the centre of it, and anything that I’m at the centre of like that is very, very odd, and feels very, very out of ordinary.”

“But I’m not [surprised about the interest in the story] in the sense that it was a female-led drama,” she added. “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.”

Left Bank Pictures has confirmed it will pay Olivia Colman, who will take over the role of The Queen in series three of The Crown, the same wage as the show’s new Prince Philip, Tobias Menzies.

Follow Independent Culture on Facebook for all the latest on Film, TV, Music, and more.