LOS ANGELES: "The Crown" star Matt Smith has come out in full support of his co-star Claire Foy and addressed the pay disparity controversy on the The Crownroyal drama.
According to a Variety report, Foy, who played Queen Elizabeth II on the popular series in seasons one and two, was paid less than Smith - around USD 40,000 per episode on the historical drama.
It is, however, unclear how much Smith, who played Prince Philip in the show in the first two installments, earned.
The 35-year-old actor said Foy was one of his "best friends" and he believes artistes should be paid "equally and fairly".
"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.
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 told The Hollywood Reporter.
He was speaking on the sidelines of the world premiere of his new biopic "Mapplethorpe" at the Tribeca Film Festival.
It is unclear what Smith was referring to when he said "they made amends for it".
Last month, at a conference in Israel, the producers revealed that Smith earned more than Foy, 34.
Left Bank creative director and executive producer Suzanne Mackie acknowledged that Smith's experience on "Doctor Who" added to the wage gap but pledged, "Going forward, no one gets paid more than the Queen.
" The production company, which backs "The Crown", then apologised after Foy's pay disparity news generated a debate.
The company apologised to both Foy and Smith in a statement and said the actors "cannot be held personally responsible for the pay of their colleagues".
Foy later reacted to the uproar and said she was not surprised that the news about her getting paid less than co-star Smith was met with a controversy.
The roles of Queen Elizabeth, Prince Philip and Princess Margaret (Vanessa Kirby have all been recast with older actors ahead of The Crown's third season.
Netflix has been requested for comment on if Foy received compensation after completing her time on the series.