How Much 'Hunger Games' Stars Earned – Your Jaw Will Drop at the Numbers

From Jennifer Lawrence to Josh Hutcherson, the paychecks are insane.
Would you want to know how much the stars of The Hunger Games actually earned? I was shocked when I saw the numbers. From Jennifer Lawrence’s jaw-dropping paycheck to the solid earnings of supporting cast members, the franchise wasn’t just a cinematic phenomenon — it was a financial powerhouse for its actors.
Here’s the lowdown on the actors’ salaries in The Hunger Games — some of the figures are staggering, and it really shows how Hollywood hands out the big bucks for blockbuster stars.
Jennifer Lawrence: Katniss Everdeen’s Paycheck Explosion
Jennifer Lawrence didn’t just dominate on screen — she dominated the salary charts too. For the first film, she earned $500,000, and by Catching Fire, her pay reportedly jumped to $10 million. In Mockingjay — Part 2, she was earning around $25 million, totaling roughly $50.5 million across all four films.
These numbers shocked me and perfectly illustrate how actors’ salaries in The Hunger Games can skyrocket alongside a blockbuster franchise’s success. Jennifer’s role shows how a leading part can define both career and finances.
Josh Hutcherson & Liam Hemsworth: Rising Stars of The Hunger Games
Josh Hutcherson (Peeta Mellark) and Liam Hemsworth (Gale Hawthorne) also saw their paychecks grow alongside their characters. They started at roughly $500,000 for the first film, with significant raises in later installments.
Supporting Cast: Elizabeth Banks, Woody Harrelson, and Donald Sutherland
Supporting actors didn’t get left behind. Elizabeth Banks reportedly earned around $1 million for her role as Effie Trinket in the first film, with higher pay in later installments. Woody Harrelson, portraying Haymitch Abernathy, earned roughly $3 million.
Donald Sutherland’s exact salary remains undisclosed, though his role as President Snow suggests a substantial paycheck. All of this shows that actors’ salaries in The Hunger Games weren’t limited to the leads — the franchise ensured supporting talent shared in its box office success.
What Actors’ Salaries Tell Us About The Hunger Games Franchise
Hell, they got rich. And honestly, they deserved every bit of it — they really made the movie a success, not just at the box office, but also as a part of cinema history.