Blanchett reveals shockingly low pay for iconic role in Hobbit epic

Cate Blanchett starred in the iconic spectacle of Peter Jackson's "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy. The films grossed over 825 million euros. How much did the star receive?

"The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring" was made on a budget of 86 million euros. It grossed over 825 million euros worldwide in cinemas and almost immediately became one of the most significant works in pop culture. The creators won four Oscars (music, cinematography, makeup, and special effects). So, how much could the actors have earned from this film? Over 20 years later, Cate Blanchett, who played Galadriel in the trilogy, confessed unexpectedly.

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

Cohen wanted to know which film earned her the biggest paycheck. He immediately guessed her participation in "The Lord of the Rings" made her pocket the largest sum. She laughed out loud. "Are you kidding me? No, no one got paid anything to do that movie," she said, leaving not only Cohen in astonishment.

Blanchett noted that times were different then. Today, actors sign special contracts, and everyone looks out for their pay. At that time, as she confessed, she was primarily interested in working with Peter Jackson, who had "Braindead" to his credit.

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

In the context of the discussion about earnings in the film industry, Blanchett also commented on pay inequalities, emphasising that women do not earn as much as it might seem. Although details of actors' salaries are rarely disclosed, Blanchett clarified that her earnings for participating in "The Lord of the Rings" were 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 160 thousand euros for all three films. This highlights the scale of earnings for such a large film undertaking.

"The Lord of the Rings" is one of the few film series in which Blanchett appeared in all three parts. The films, shot simultaneously in 1999-2000 with a budget of 267 million euros (equivalent to 487 million euros in 2024 terms), were a hit. The entire trilogy grossed 2.6 billion euros worldwide, which contrasts nicely with the discussion about actors' earnings.