Lena Headey sued by former agency over alleged unpaid commission fees

Lena Headey is being sued for $1.5 million (£1.2 million) by her former agency for allegedly failing to pay commission fees for projects including Thor: Love and Thunder.

The Game of Thrones actress has been hit by a lawsuit from her former U.K. agency Troika, which rebranded as YMU in 2020. In the court documents, obtained by Variety, YMU representatives claim Headey owes the agency at least $500,000 (£414,000) for her earnings on the upcoming Thor movie, from which her role has been cut.

They also claim she owes them at least $300,000 (£248,000) for the 2022 film 9 Bullets, which she starred in alongside Sam Worthington, and $650,000 (£540,000) for the series Rita. Headey was due to play the title character but the show didn't get picked up for series after its pilot episode.

YMU want an account of commission fees owed, an order for the actress to pay the alleged fees, damages for breach of contract, interest and reimbursement of legal fees, according to Variety.

In response, Headey disputes that YMU agents have any claim to commissions relating to Thor because director Taika Waititi came to her directly about the job. The star, who is also represented by CAA in the U.S., also insists that YMU agents did not negotiate her role in 9 Bullets either. Regarding Rita, Headey claimed she only received $325,000 (£270,000) for the pilot episode and YMU agents have already been paid $22,750 (£19,000) from that sum.

The 48-year-old joined Troika in 2015 after her personal rep Michael Duff moved there from his previous agency Lou Carl Associates. She claims that she never signed any contract with Troika/YMU or Duff and they were working on an oral agreement she formed with Duff when he was at his previous agency. Both Headey and Duff left YMU in 2020.