Academy Award winner Mo’Nique (Precious) is unafraid to take on corporations. After engaging in a legal fight with Netflix several years ago, Mo has now turned her attention to Paramount Pictures and CBS TV Studios.
According to Deadline, Mo’Nique filed a lawsuit against the Paramount Global subsidiaries. The 55-year-old Maryland native accuses the defendants of not sharing the revenue from The Parkers sitcom with the performers.
“Today we filed a lawsuit to make sure that we are fairly paid [the] money that we are owed for The Parkers,” wrote Mo’Nique on Instagram. “Actors rely on the good faith of Hollywood companies to honor their profit participation agreements. The Parkers was a huge success and continues to be a source of revenue through syndication and streaming channels.”
The Queens of Comedy star 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! I LOVE US 4REAL!!”
The Parkers ran for five seasons (1999-2004) on the now-defunct UPN network. Mo’Nique appeared on the show as Nicole “Nikki” Parker. The cast also included Countess Vaughn, Dorien Wilson, Jenna von Oÿ, Ken L, and Yvette Wilson.
All five seasons of The Parkers are now available for streaming on Netflix. In 2021, fellow comedian Dave Chappelle called out platforms like Netflix and HBO Max for not properly compensating him for streaming access to Chappelle’s Show.
Mo’Nique has her own history with giant streamers like Netflix. She sued the California-headquartered company for racial and gender discrimination in 2019. The two sides eventually “amicably” settled the dispute. Netflix later presented the My Name is Mo’Nique comedy special.