Gender Pay Gap: Do you think it was acceptable for Portman to earn less than Hemsworth for Thor 4?

Question

I mean the movie was called Thor played by Helmsworth who had to build and maintain the massive physique for it, he played thor already in 7 other movies and had to be enticed to come back to play Thor. Other actors in the movie were paid less than Portman depending on their star power. I think she should have been grateful for the role having previously turned her back on it and maybe should have negotiated better for more money. Christian Bale who played the villian had to spend hours in prosthetic makeup, Chris Helmsworth had to be jacked, all Portman had to do was turn up and have her muscles CGIed on.

Confession I think Helmsworth is so hot.

NamerOfStars · Accepted Answer

Natalie Portman has reached the age when her looks (which is what most of her career has been based on) have unambiguously started to fade, and so her work's starting to dry up. Naturally, this means the comparatively easy ride she's had (by Hollywood standards) is coming to an end, and since she's never had to work for it like people who earn their way in the world do, she's pissed. I'll give her credit for this much: in Hollywood, women who aren't total knockouts DON'T get paid as much as those who are (and those who are unattractive simply don't work there; not in front of the camera, at least), and so she's not making as much as she used to. She probably couldn't make up the difference even by taking more demanding and dangerous work with longer hours, so in this case, there's actually some genuine truth to the idea of the "gender pay gap" (which is usually nothing more than women working easier, safer jobs with better work-life balance). However:

I didn't see the movie, but does she star in it? Does she have the same screen time? Unless the studio is outright Communistic, it'd be stupid to expect everyone to be paid the same (I wonder how Natalie would feel if she was making a cameraman's wages? Or a caterer's?).

My father was an emergency physician, an incredibly demanding job. You have to go through years of post-college schooling, pass a grueling battery of tests, get approved of to work as a (paid) intern who's overworked even by the standards of interns, and then even once you're in, you make one tiny mistake and someone is DEAD, and you don't even have time to process that, because you immediately have to work on the next emergency case.

Meanwhile, I was (up until recently) a school bus driver. There's an inherent danger in any job that's on the road, but even if there IS an accident, you're in a multi-ton vehicle; unless you're hit by a semi or a train, YOU, and the kids, will be fine. It's an important job, yes, but it requires little more than a CDL and a lack of criminal convictions. You work consistent hours, 4 or 5 hours a day, 5 days a week, and get summers and holidays off. You have to like kids, and have at least a little bit of a zen master in you, but it's ultimately very easy work. Should I have been paid as much as my father was? The very idea's absurd.

molonski2 · Accepted Answer

The characters are not the same , he is Thor , he is the absolute drawcard in his absolute prime vital to the box office , completely and utterly buffed / ripped , the character and actor , far more vital to the success of the franchise.

Its just not to compare apples with apples , Portman is over 40 , well past her peak earning power , and she is good , but literally 100s of women are capable enough to play that role , I think 30% , she should be thankful for.

Now , while we are on this topic.. Tennis? Women play 3 sets and Men play 5 for same money , this is an insult to fit women sports professionals , why can't all the majors be 5 sets in the least from the round of 16 ? If I had been Serena I would have been screaming for this because I think she would have won more , golf changed years ago and they are not paid same money. Happy for the week to week stuff to remain 3 sets , no problem , but its time we got past this stuff , the money is equal , so many games ruined by simply being just 3 sets.

noemiii · Accepted Answer

Acceptable yes.. Natalie has had her day. She is not the cash cow for that movie, Liam Hemsworth is. She looked great in the movie but the numbers would not truly be affected with or without her. In fact, if they had casted Gal Gadot in her place (assuming she wasn’t already casted as Wonder Woman) it would have more of an argument to getting paid less.

I think Natalie is a beautiful woman, great actress but she is definitely not as big of a name now as she was in the past. She does not have the leeway to pull the audience in like she used to simply on name alone. Those female actresses with that effect would be Angelina Jolie, Margot Robbie, Jennifer Lawrence, Megan Fox etc. Liam on the other hand, has that effect because he is eternally tied to the Thor franchise.

laurieluvsit · Accepted Answer

Most people don't understand that it is the audience that determines actor/actress salaries not the studios.

The more popular you are and the higher audience you can attract the more you get paid. It has nothing to do with gender.

Take Oprah Winfrey for example who is a Billionaire.

Oliverlogan263 · Answer

This is a complex issue with reasonable arguments on both sides. On the one hand, Portman has a point that male and female actors aren't always paid equally even when their roles require similar levels of work.

At the same time, you make fair points about Hemsworth's commitment to the role over multiple films and his extensive physical preparation. Bale's transformation also shows the effort some actors put in.

Rather than criticize Portman, I think the most positive approach is to support moves toward fair and equal pay in Hollywood overall. Actors of all genders should be compensated based on their contributions to a project, not other factors.

If the studio truly felt Hemsworth brought more box office value as the title character, they could have explained that to Portman respectfully during negotiations. Open communication is usually better than assumptions.

In the end, all the talents made the film possible. I'm just happy we got to see Thor 4! And yeah, Hemsworth is totally jacked, gotta give him that 😉 But focusing too much on salaries risks overshadowing the actual movie experience.

Anonymous · Answer

I see this in the same way I see "equal pay" in sports. Athletes should be paid according to the revenue they generate, not how hard they work. That's why WNBA players get paid a fraction of what NBA players are paid.

The same is true for actors / acrtesses. In Thor 4, Hemsworth brought infinately more value to the film than Portman. Portman could have been played by countless other actresses and it would have meant little to nothing to the success of the film. The same cannot be said of Hemsworth.

At this point Portman is just another self-important, whining feminist.

JacobJordan · Answer

She spent significantly less time in the movie and on the movie than Hemsworth. The pay gap does not exist and it rapidly becomes apparent when one begins to look into why women "earn less" men work longer hours, men work in more dangerous fields, men work in more technical, scientific, electrical etc related fields all of which pay more than the jobs women typically go into. If a woman goes into the same job as a man with the same experience she is actually typically paid slightly more than the man.

jshm2 · Answer

Yeah, she's a shit actor and it's a shit movie, just rehashed as Americans love to do.

It's a tragedy that they are still allowed to make movies of such low calibre. But what do you expect of an industry that has made so many Fast & Furious movies?

DextroShade · Answer

Portman doesn't deserve the same rate of pay as Hemsworth because she's not the star. I would bet that the other Hemsworth didn't get paid as much as Jennifer Lawrence for the Hunger Games movies either, but you didn't hear anyone complain about that because these feminists only want "equality" when they benefit. By far the worst offender for this imaginary pay gap bullshit is Brie Larson demanding the same amount of money as Robert Downey Jr even though he has more star power and was in more movies than she.

HawkPerception · Answer

Chris Hemsworth is Thor... the fucking protagonist of the movie and in all scenes. It's like arguing that Chris Pine should have been paid the same as Gal Gadot in Wonderwoman. Or the side characters in Hunger Games or Divergent should have been paid the same as the protagonist.

Man fuck radical feminism. It has 0 logic.

AviatorTom · Answer

If she didn't like the amount, she could have turned down the movie.

"New York City passed a law requiring companies to list all their salaries, from the top executive all the way down to the females." (Michael Che, SNL Weekend Edition)

Anonymous · Answer

Yeah she's over 40 and not that critical to the Franchise. Easily replaceable.

Like you said Thor is what makes the wheels of this franchise turn. And I don't even like Hemsworth.

This is my argument when it comes to the WNBA. a lot of women basketball players want paid the same as their male counterparts they shout "equality". But the problem is equality has no bearing here. You're not paid what you're worth in life. You're paid according to the money you bring in sometimes or what you can convince someone to pay you. Most WNBA teams operate at a LOSS and are actually subsidized by the WNBA. Why does the NBA do it? It's good PR for them. So if WNBA players want paid their true worth to the league, team, and game most actually need their pay cut not raised.

Back to Portman if the movie was Black Swan or V for Vendetta her character is much more critical to the story and she would command a higher salary in my opinion.

wiltingrosepetal · Answer

Actors don't get paid normally because the job isn't consistent. If two people worked for the same business, same position in different branches, of course they deserve the same pay. But there are more factors to recognise when it comes to acting (star power for example). I feel for her, but at the end of the day this has nothing to do with gender

BCA6010 · Answer

I promise you that nobody goes to see a Thor movie because of Natalie Portman. Her stardom has been fading for a while. Even if you're going out of your way to pay the actors proportionate to what they bring to the movie's success, Hemsworth carries (or rather carried) the franchise. Whenever you're paying actors for a movie or show, it makes sense that the lead (s) and/or the main/most prominent villain get paid the most because they're the main draw.

ZackBan · Answer

I think she should count herself lucky to even be in the movie.
Both are millionaires over their careers so I won't hear any tears over who makes a few millions more.

Gender pay gap would be in your local office job or restaurant but when it comes to movies it comes down to marketing, agent, many factors that decide who makes what

normalice · Answer

She was critical enough to this particular movie that she could have refused and smart enough to know it. Granted, I don't think employees should have to threaten their employers just to get what they earned, in general, but that's a problem with capitalism itself, not just this one movie.

Also, Portman absolutely had to train for this role.

OfDeath · Answer

The movie is called Thor isn’t it? Chris Hemsworth plays Thor. He is the star of the movie. People go to it to see him. Of course he is going to get paid more. Jesus

Babygirl_S · Answer

I haven't watched that film but I think it should depend on who was present in more scenes and also whose job was tougher like perhaps doing more action scenes.

Danny_dan92 · Answer

The CEO for my company is a female. What pay gap? It’s simple, everyone can obtain any position they wish so long as they are qualified and do everything in their power to become qualified.

Fireguy17 · Answer

I'm sure she will be just fine.

Sometimes women make more than me and I don't see people getting their undies in a bundle when that happens.

Not everything can always be equal.

And the majority of women in the porn industry make more than men do.

Joshydavid25 · Answer

Hemsworth is the bigger star at this point, and he is the face of the Thor Franchise.. It makes sense that he was paid more.. Not to mention he was probably on Set much more, and all that good jazz.. Portman is just complaining and probably being greedy.

justabuddy · Answer

He did make way more films for the same character than she did. He is also the main character in them all. She wouldn't be able to play the part without his character as he started the franchise.

It's like a defense player making as much money as the quarterback.

rigmarole · Answer

She signed a contract to do a job for a specified amount. To bitch about something she specifically negotiated and agreed to shows she's a fucking moron. No one should do business with her.

Filthy_Immigrant · Answer

Obviously!

Chris Hemsworth is literally the main character of the movie so of course he derseves more than her. if she wanted more money than what she got then she should of shown her ass like Chris Hemsworth did in that Zeus scene.

Aakash_Hangargi · Answer

I think the content writers should have been paid more so you would have got a great story.
story wise it was so boring I mean it really sucked.

In recent years in the MCU I think love and thunder and the marvels is wastage of money.

But can say like other departments got paid and most people got jobs and lively hood that's great!

But it was slash on customers pocket heavily disappointed

KostasKouvalis · Answer

Who was billed first in the credits? It makes sense that whichever actor is billed first and has the most screen time should be the one that gets paid the highest, regardless of gender. Surely I wouldn't expect Gal Gadot's male co-stars to make the same or more than her in "Wonder Woman"

Also, why does Hemmsworth look like a fat Ashton Kutcher here?

MiddleAgedClimbee · Answer

I haven't seen the movie, but I would simply assume that lead characters get paid more. Personally, I work alone, but I assume other females who are in my position would charge the same if not more depending on the complexity of client issues.

jamesgoldman · Answer

Films are based on the bankability, Portman could be replaced by Hemsworth couldn't be as the title role

FunkyMonkee · Answer

I have no idea who these people are but, there's no such thing as a gender pay gap! You earn whatever you're qualified to earn, no matter WHAT'S between your legs!!

loveslongnails · Answer

The only "care" I can muster up for Hollywood is for how much the crew, the writers, the stagehands, and all the unknowns get paid when a movie becomes a huge success. Far as I know, they get zilch in addition to their base wage.

Anonymous · Answer

It is difficult to say who deserves more money on films. Since the majority of the pay is negotiated by agents and is based on an actor's ability to draw people into seats at a movie theater versus their own desire to be in the film. However, if you want to complain about a gender pay gap; you should look elsewhere. My last job I was getting paid less than a woman who had a lower position than me.

9in_Serpent · Answer

I mean honestly everyone on earth deserves a good life no matter what they choose to do and nobody should get preferential treatment over another no matter who they are. Money is a quick way to insult the value of a human being

dolemite58 · Answer

I don’t see why she’s complaining when he had to be in freakishly good shape for the movie, that’s a ton of work to do outside of the movie.

Bklynbadboy12 · Answer

It's not far but let's address it all cause black actors and actress have always made less that there white counterparts so make it fair all the way around not just for white actors and actresses

Bricealan · Answer

I have always felt..."Equal Pay for Equal Work" - No exceptions.

SolitarySolace · Answer

It was a movie about Thor who was played by Hemsworth. He was the main character. The lead actor. So he should be making more

HouseMoat · Answer

For the SAME job. Women usually only have supporting roles in movies. If she was the lead actor and still making the same amount, then she might have a gripe

JHAYES317 · Answer

Yes because let’s honest Thor was still the draw for the movie not Jane Foster

RedInnocent68 · Answer

In general, no. But to be fair, the name of the movie was Thor…

gorydetails · Answer

Lol, feminists won’t give up the ‘pay gap’ lies, will they?

Sparkie460 · Answer

Whoever has the biggest role should get the highest pay.

FenixG45 · Answer

I like all the actor, but it's called supply and demand for a reason.

jjj101010 · Answer

Yeah he’s the leading role, that’s pretty common

DreamLife7 · Answer

What does this have to do with your life?

KrakenAttackin · Answer

You are paid what you NEGOTIATE.

Guido · Answer

They are all overpaid.

Nice222 · Answer

I think she needs a better agent.

Gender Pay Gap: Do you think it was acceptable for Portman to earn less than Hemsworth for Thor 4?

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