Lena Headey Sued Over Cut Thor: Love and Thunder Role
Game of Thrones alum Lena Headey is being sued by her former United Kingdom-based agency, Troika, for $1.5 million over various unpaid commission fees. These fees include Thor: Love and Thunder, a film Headey was cast in ultimately had her scenes cut from the film. Troika, now branded as YMU, has claimed Headey specifically owes them a minimum of half a million dollars for Love and Thunder. Her involvement in the Marvel Studios summer blockbuster was never advertised or officially announced, but Variety has confirmed that she did in fact have a role in director Taika Waititi's original script. The details of that role remain undisclosed.
Headey's cut role is one of numerous A-Listers removed from Thor 4's final cut. Star Christian Bale recently revealed Headey's Game of Thrones co-star Peter Dinklage as well as Thor: Ragnarok and Jurassic World: Dominion's Jeff Goldblum were axed from the fourquel.
"I got to work with Peter Dinklage, that's not in the final film, but I got to work with him," Bale said. "He's fantastic. I got to work with Jeff Goldblum, he's not in the final film either. As you see lots of stuff ends up on the cutting room floor, even though it is beautiful, brilliant stuff."
Headey was involved with the aforementioned agency from 2005 until 2020. Despite Headey not being part of the agency today, Troika/YMU claims the actress still owes a number of commission fees for projects like Thor 4, 9 Bullets, and Rita. Headey starred opposite Sam Worthington in 9 Bullets, a theatrical release that bombed at the box office. Rita also failed to do anything of substance, as the Showtime series only lasted for a singular pilot episode. The agency claims Headey owes them $300,000 and $650,000 for 9 Bullets and Rita, respectively. Beyond the commission fees, Troika/YMU are seeking an order for Headey to pay said fees, damages for breach of contract, interest and reimbursement of legal fees.
Headey has rebutted the claims, saying she never signed a contract with Troika/YMU or Michael Duff, the co-founder of the aforementioned agency. Duff was also Headey's personal representative. Headey further claimed that her partnership with Duff was no more than a verbal agreement.
The former Cersei Lannister specifically pushed back on Troika/YMU's claim to Thor: Love and Thunder commission because that opportunity was presented to her by Waititi himself. Furthermore, Headey claims 9 Bullets was negotiated without the assistance of her agency or Duff. As for Rita, Headey says she has already paid Troika/YMU $22,750 of her $325,000 earnings from the lone episode the series lasted.
Representatives for Headey and Marvel were contacted by Variety but did not respond to the request for comment by the article's publication time. Troika/YMU as well as lawyers for the agency and Headey herself also did not reply by press time.