“The Lord of the Rings“ star Cate Blanchett spoke in an interview about the fee she received for the fantasy films.
“The Lord of the Rings” ranks alongside “Harry Potter” and “Star Wars” as one of the most well-known modern film series. Thanks to Amazon’s “The Lord of the Rings” series “The Rings of Power” and the two upcoming films “The War of the Rohirrim” and “The Hunt for Gollum,” the fantasy series is receiving as much attention as it has in a long time. Although J.R.R. Tolkien’s works have always been popular, it was Peter Jackson’s films that turned the fantasy universe into a mainstream hit.
It may therefore be surprising to learn that the actors’ salaries were not as large as one might assume. Galadriel actress Cate Blanchett revealed this on the late-night show “Watch What Happens Live” (via Deadline). When asked which of her films earned her the highest fee, and after host Andy Cohen suggested it must have been “The Lord of the Rings,” Blanchett responded:
“Are you kidding? No one was properly paid to make that movie.”
Orlando Bloom Didn’t Receive a Huge Sum Either
The actress explained that she did not receive a share of the box office revenue since the film was produced before that became a common practice. She only participated in “The Lord of the Rings” because she wanted to work with Peter Jackson. Blanchett added:
“I basically got free sandwiches. And I got to keep my [elf ears]. No one was properly paid. Women don’t get as much money as people think.”
In 2023, Legolas actor Orlando Bloom revealed on “The Howard Stern Show” that he only received $175,000 for the “The Lord of the Rings” films, with that amount not being adjusted for inflation.
