Cate Blanchett reveals surprising pay for iconic LOTR role

Cate Blanchett starred in the iconic spectacle that was Peter Jackson's "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy. The film grossed over CAD 1.1 billion. How much did the star earn?

"The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring" was shot with a budget of CAD 127 million. The film grossed over CAD 1.1 billion in theatres worldwide, becoming almost instantly one of the most important works of pop culture. The creators snagged four Oscars (music, cinematography, makeup, special effects). So how much could the actors have made from this film? More than 20 years later, Cate Blanchett, who played Galadriel in the trilogy, shared an unexpected revelation.

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

Cohen wanted to know which film earned her the biggest paycheck. He immediately guessed that her participation in "The Lord of the Rings" earned 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, who was 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 CAD 240,000 for all three films, shedding light on 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 CAD 397 million (equivalent to around CAD 730 million in 2024 dollars), were a hit. The entire trilogy grossed a total of CAD 4 billion worldwide, which contrasts sharply with the discussion about actors' compensation.