Mo’Nique suing Paramount/CBS for unpaid royalties for ‘The Parkers’

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Mo’Nique suing Paramount/CBS for unpaid royalties for ‘The Parkers’

It seems like comedian/actress and Academy Award winner Mo’Nique has been emboldened by her legal victory over Netflix and is doing it again with her sights set on Paramount Pictures, CBS TV Studios, and others for unpaid royalties from the hit series “The Parkers” that she starred in.

Mo’Nique filed the suit in Los Angeles Superior Court on Wednesday (04-12-23) for breach of contract, according to the Associated Press.

The suit says Paramount and CBS “artificially depressed” profits of the show and retained millions of dollars “that would otherwise be contractually due” to Mo’Nique’s production company, Hicks Media.

“While the Series has proven to be a major financial success for its producers and distributors, the series’ talent have not been permitted to share in the fruits of that success,” declares the breach of contract action over the sitcom that ran on the now defunct UPN from 1999 to 2004.

“Plaintiff is further informed and believes and thereupon alleges that the Series’ writers and creators performed a forensic audit that this forensic audit of the Series’ books and records strongly suggested that Defendants have inequitably structured the Series’ finances to artificially depress its profitability and retain millions that would otherwise be contractually due and owing to Plaintiff,” adds the filing from the deRubertis Law Firm, APC and Schimmel & Park, APLC on behalf of Hicks Media.

“Plaintiff only recently discovered the breaches and/or concealment of material facts described herein when it learned of details of the publicly-filed lawsuit by the writers and creators of the Series,” the compliant in the docket in LA Superior Court notes. “Before that, they had been lulled through the words and actions of the Defendants into believing that all moneys were properly paid.”

The suit says the series’ creators and writers have also been underpaid, and that Mo’Nique learned of the alleged breach of contract when they recently filed a similar lawsuit.

“I just want the contractual compensation that I’ve earned,” Mo’Nique said in a statement.

As of this posting, there has been no response from the suits at the “corporate mothership” Paramount Global, reports Deadline.

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