When Chris Hemsworth first picked up Mjolnir in Thor, Marvel had no guarantee it had found one of its future biggest stars. And his first paycheck for the film was a testament to how early Hemsworth was in his Hollywood career.
‘Thor’ Was Still A Gamble
Hemsworth reportedly earned about $150,000 for his role as the God of Thunder in the 2011 film. The figure is even more shocking because Tom Hiddleston, who played Loki, reportedly got $160,000. That meant the guy who played the villain in Thor got about $10,000 more than the guy who played the protagonist.
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It’s a captivating look at how their careers were when the MCU first started. Hemsworth was not a household name at the time. Thor was his first big chance, and fans had not yet decided if he could make the relatively obscure comic-book hero into a real movie star.
Hiddleston, on the other hand, was immediately convincing as Loki. His delivery made him more than just a typical superhero antagonist, adding a touch of charm and vulnerability to his role. In retrospect, it’s not hard to see why Marvel doubted the film’s success. Still, the irony is hard to miss: the actor playing Thor was paid less than the man trying to defeat him.
MCU Completely Changed The Equation
The actual twist is what came next. Thor went on to become a worldwide success, grossing over $450 million. Hemsworth’s name exploded. He returned for The Avengers and multiple subsequent MCU projects, eventually becoming one of Hollywood’s most recognizable leading men.
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Later, his reported paychecks rose to tens of millions per movie. Hiddleston also went to great lengths thanks to Loki, and neither one of the actors’ salaries could have foretold their true worth. That tiny $10,000 difference now feels almost absurd. Before Thor became one of Marvel’s biggest heroes, Hemsworth was simply an actor being given his first chance to prove he belonged there.
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