Netflix boycott: Jada Pinkett Smith applauds Mo'Nique for 'shining light on truth'

In 2016, Jada Pinkett Smith was amongst the many black thespians and filmmakers who boycotted the 88th Academy Awards in response to the diversity row. Fast forward two years and the Hollywood actress is putting her weight being another race and gender-related campaign.

The 46-year-old star has urged fans to show their support for Mo'Nique after she launched a boycott against Netflix, claiming the streaming giant was guilty of colour and gender bias.

Taking to Twitter, Smith told her 1.1m followers: "You don't have to like Mo'Nique's approach. You don't have to agree with her boycott but don't allow all of that to make you blind to the fact that non-white women and impoverished white women are underpaid, underrepresented and undervalued EVERYWHERE by EVERYONE.

The mother-of-two added: "As a community, we should be supporting the light she is shining on this truth."

Mo'Nique previously claimed that she was ostracised after her 2010 Oscar win for her role in Precious because she refused to "play by the rules". She became outraged after she was offered significantly less than fellow comedians Amy Schumer, David Chappelle and Chris Rock for a comedy special.

"I was offered a $500,000 (£355,000, €405,000) deal last week to do a comedy special. However, Amy Schumer was offered $11m, Chris Rock and Dave Chappelle, $22m," she explained in a video message posted to her 211K Instagram followers.

The former chat show host said she was highlighting the entertainment industry's gendered power imbalances because the pay disparity brought it home for her.

"Why shouldn't I get what the legends are getting? Please stand with me in this boycott of Netflix."

Her complaint prompted Wanda Sykes to reveal she had not even been offered half of what Mo'Nique had been paid. Sykes's comedy special went to the Epix channel instead.

Smith's comments have come on the heels of Time's Up – an initiative which also aims to combat gender inequality and sexual harassment in the workplace dominated the 2018 Golden Globes. Campaigners will point to recent unfair pay disparities with actor Mark Wahlberg being offered $1.5m for reshooting Ridley Scott's All The Money In The World while costar Michelle Williams was paid less than $1,000.