Lena Headey is being sued by her former UK agency Troika for $1.5m (£1.2m) over outstanding commission fees related to multiple projects, including the forthcoming movie Thor: Love and Thunder.
The agency, re-branded as YMU in 2020, claims the Game of Thrones actor owes at least $500,000 (£410,000) – 7 per cent of her fee – for her Marvel movie earnings, even though Headey does not appear in the final edit of Thor: Love and Thunder, Variety has confirmed.
The film, starring Chris Hemsworth and Natalie Portman, is scheduled to release next week (8 July).
According to court documents obtained by the outlet, after Headey’s personal rep Michael Duff left his prior agency Lou Carl Associates, he co-founded Troika/YMU. Headey signed with his new agency in 2005. In early 2020, Duff left YMU, followed by Headey who left in May of that same year.
Now, YMU is claiming that in addition to commission fees for the Marvel film, Headey still owes the agency at least $300,000 (£246,000) for 2022 mystery movie 9 Bullets, in addition to $650,000 (£533,000) for Showtime’s drama series Rita.
While the show didn’t manage to land a series order beyond its premiere episode, Headey was set to play the titular role.
Lena Headey in ‘Game of Thrones’
(HBO)
YMU is seeking an order for Headey to pay the fees, an account of commission fees owed, damages relating to breach of contract, legal fee reimbursement, and interest.
Headey has defended herself, claiming that she never signed a contract with YMU or Duff, and instead, that both parties were acting on an oral agreement formed in the 1990s when Duff was still with Lou Carl Associates.
Her legal filings also assert that YMU was never Headey’s only agent, as she was also signed with CAA in the US.
Further, Headey argues that her role in Thor: Love and Thunder came after she was directly approached by director Taika Waititi, therefore disputing YMU’s ability to claim commission. Similarly, she claims 9 Bullets wasn’t negotiated by either YMU or Duff.
As for Rita, Headey said she already paid YMU $22,750 (£18,000) from her $325,000 (£267,000) salary from the pilot episode.
The Independent has reached out to Headey’s rep for comment.
Earlier this month, Headey and co-star Hannah Waddingham opened up about their “horrendous” experience filming a torture scene on Game of Thrones.
