Mo’Nique is taking a stance against major television networks for royalties she says are owed to her.
According to AP News, the comedian and actress filed a breach-of-contract lawsuit in the Los Angeles Superior Court alleging that Paramount and CBS withheld millions from her despite her contributions as the main star of “The Parkers.”
“Today [April 12], we filed a lawsuit to make sure that we are fairly paid money that we are owed for ‘The Parkers,'” Mo’Nique shared in a post on Instagram. “Actors rely on the good faith of Hollywood companies to honor their profit participation agreements.”
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“‘The Parkers’ was a huge success and continues to be a source of revenue through syndication and streaming channels,” she continued. “To further make my point, the executive producers of ‘The Parkers’ took legal action for the same concerns that I have, and they’ve already settled. Unfortunately, all too often, talent gets kept in the dark. We’re looking forward to shedding some light on the subject.”
The series debuted in 1999 as a spin-off of the sitcom, “Moesha,” which starred R&B superstar Brandy. Mo’Nique portrayed Nicole “Nikki” Parker alongside actress Countess Vaughn who played her daughter Kim Parker. The show aired until 2004.
Since then, “The Parkers” has reemerged via syndication and has been available for streaming on Netflix since 2020.
As previously reported by AfroTech, Mo’Nique also took Netflix to court under the claim that they gave her a lowball offer, which AP News states “was part of a larger company tendency to underpay black women.”
In 2022, Mo’Nique settled with the streaming giant, and the 55-year-old entertainer debuted her comedy special, “My Name Is Mo’Nique,” on the platform.
“Mo’Nique is not shy about taking on these David vs. Goliath battles in Hollywood to challenge these questionable practices that are endemic to the industry,” said David deRubertis, one of her attorneys who represented her in both lawsuits, according to a statement.
