Natalie Portman is widely known for her role in the Star Wars movies. Expanding her portfolio, the actress joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Jane Foster in 2011. She starred alongside Chris Hemsworth’s Thor as a brilliant physicist and love interest of the God of Thunder.
With a massive franchise like the MCU, fans would expect they both earned big-time paychecks. While Hemsworth’s and Portman’s salaries are indeed hefty, their difference is astoundingly insane.
Chris Hemsworth’s Salary In Thor 4 Dwarfs Natalie Portman’s Measly Pay
Natalie Portman’s salary in the first installment of Thor was reportedly $100,000, as per The Things. The film’s production budget was around $150 million, making her pay just a small dent in the studio’s wallet.
When she reprised her role as Jane Foster in Thor: The Dark World, the actress was said to have received less than $1 million. Given that 2011’s Thor grossed over $400 million, Portman’s wage was incredibly meager.
Portman returned to the MCU in Thor: Love and Thunder which saw her transform into Mighty Thor. Fans would assume she finally gets the pay she deserves but, unfortunately, the Black Swan actress only took home $1.2 million.
Now, Chris Hemsworth’s salary from portraying Thor was certainly higher than Portman’s. He reportedly received $150,000 from the first Thor film. It is unknown how much he brought home from the first two Avengers movies, but he made $15 million each for Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame.
Then, another $15 million in his pocket for Thor: Ragnarok. Finally, Thor 4 gave Hemsworth a whopping $20 million for a paycheck. That is exceedingly massive compared to Portman’s fee.
Natalie Portman Talks About Hollywood Pay Disparity
The gender pay gap has been an issue in Hollywood that many celebrities have been trying to address. In her interview with Marie Claire UK in 2017, Natalie Portman responded to the matter after she was paid three times less than her male co-star in No Strings Attached. She stated:
“I knew and I went along with it because there’s this thing with ‘quotes’ in Hollywood. His [quote] was three times higher than mine, so they said he should get three times more. I wasn’t as pissed as I should have been. I mean, we get paid a lot, so it’s hard to complain, but the disparity is crazy. Compared to men, in most professions, women make 80 cents to the dollar. In Hollywood, we are making 30 cents to the dollar.”
She noted that women in the industry should be given equal treatment when it comes to job opportunities. The Annihilation star also reiterated that, as part of the entertainment business, actors should strive to resolve the problem:
“I don’t think women and men are more or less capable. We just have a clear issue with women not having opportunities. We need to be part of the solution, not perpetuating the problem.”
The difference between Hemsworth’s and Portman’s salaries is clear evidence that Hollywood studios need to assess their treatment of women when it comes to monetary compensation.
