Cate Blanchett reveals surprisingly low earnings from "The Lord of the Rings"

Cate Blanchett starred in the iconic spectacle that was Peter Jackson's "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy. The film grossed over $890 million. How much did the star earn?

"The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring" was produced with a budget of $93 million. The film grossed over $890 million in theaters worldwide, quickly becoming one of the most significant works of pop culture. The creators won four Oscars (music, cinematography, makeup, special effects). So how much did the actors make from this film? More than 20 years later, Cate Blanchett, who played Galadriel in the trilogy, shared an unexpected revelation.

Cate Blanchett, currently promoting her new film "Borderlands", appeared on the program "Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen" and revealed that her earnings for participating in this film series were surprisingly low. In a conversation with host Andy Cohen, the actress emphasized that no one made much money from "The Lord of the Rings."

Cohen wanted to know which film earned her the biggest paycheck. He immediately guessed that it was "The Lord of the Rings" that landed her the largest sum. She burst out laughing. "Are you kidding me? No, no one got paid anything to do that movie," she said, leaving Cohen stunned.

Blanchett pointed out that those were different times. Today, actors sign special contracts, and everyone looks out for their paychecks. At that time, as she confessed, her primary goal was to work with Peter Jackson, known for "Braindead."

"I basically got free sandwiches, and I got to keep my [elf] ears," Blanchett joked.

In the context of the discussion about earnings in the film industry, Blanchett also commented on pay inequalities, emphasizing that women do not earn as much as one might think. Although the details of actors' pay are rarely disclosed, Blanchett clarified that her compensation for participating in "The Lord of the Rings" was far from the high rates one might expect today.

According to a report published in October 2013 by We Got This Covered, another actor from the trilogy, Orlando Bloom (Legolas), earned only $175,000 for all three films. This highlights the scale of earnings for such a large film project.

"The Lord of the Rings" is one of the few film series in which Blanchett appeared in all three installments. The films, shot simultaneously between 1999-2000 with a budget of $289 million (equivalent to $530 million in 2024 dollars), were a hit. The entire trilogy grossed $2.9 billion worldwide, which contrasts sharply with the discussion about actors' compensation.