Mo'Nique Sues CBS Over 'Millions' Owed For Hit TV Show 'The Parkers'
By Mike Walters on April 12, 2023 at 3:42 PM EDT
Actress Mo'Nique is suing CBS over what she claims is millions of dollars owed for her participation in the hit television show, 'The Parkers.'
According to new legal documents, obtained by The Blast, the actress is suing the network along with Big Ticket Productions for breach of contract. In the filing, Mo'Nique says she is owed millions of dollars for money made by the popular sitcom, along with the money it's made for bumping the show onto Netflix.
The actress claims that a forensic accounting was done on the show's profit and losses after an original lawsuit brought by the show's creators.
Mo'Nique Claims She Is Owed MILLIONS For Money Made On 'The Parkers'
"Series' writers and creators performed a forensic audit that this forensic audit of the Series' books and records strongly suggested that (CBS, Big Ticket) have inequitably structured the Series’ finances to artificially depress its profitability and retain millions that would otherwise be contractually due," the lawsuit states.
It continues, the companies "have refused to compensate her fully and properly for the monies wrongfully withheld from it, thereby necessitating this action to vindicate her contractual rights."
The lawsuit outlines the show's massive success, including its run with over 100 episodes being filmed. Plus, most recently, the dominant streaming service Netflix began streaming the series in its entirety in October 2020. Bottom line, the actress points out the show has been a "major financial success" for its producers and distributors -- but the talent "has not been permitted to share in the fruits of that success."
Mo'Nique Says She Is Unclear How Much She Is Actually Owed From CBS
It should be noted, the lawsuit was filed by Hicks Media Inc. -- a loan-out company used by Mo'Nique. Her full name is Mo'Nique Angela Hicks.
In the end, Mo'Nique claims she is unclear on exactly how much money is owed and is asking a judge to step in and force a decision. Plus, she is asking the court to impose a "constructive trust" to be created to hold the money she claims is wrongfully held by the companies.
If you have been living under a rock, 'The Parkers' was a spinoff of the 1990s hit television show 'Moesha.' The show was aired on UPN (United Paramount Network) and became a breakout success for the fledgling network. It ran for six seasons and is still streamed to this day. 'The Parkers' enjoyed a similar success on UPN and ran five seasons, with reruns airing across several television networks.
