Cate Blanchett: ‘No One Got Paid’ for ‘Lord of the Rings’

Cate Blanchett has shared that she and fellow cast members of the blockbuster film series “The Lord of the Rings” weren’t compensated as generously as expected.

The Academy Award-winning actress appeared on “Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen” alongside Gina Gershon on Tuesday to promote their upcoming sci-fi film “Borderlands.”

During the show, Cohen inquired, “What film that you’ve done has given you the biggest paycheck?”

He speculated, “I think it’s probably ‘Lord of the Rings.’”

Blanchett responded, “Are you kidding me? No,” adding, “No one got paid anything to do that movie. … I mean, I basically got free sandwiches, and I got to keep my [elf] ears.”

The “Tár” actress, who has previously spoken out about pay disparities in the film industry, noted that women in Hollywood “don’t get paid as much as you think they do.” Gina Gershon agreed with a nod.

Indeed, the “LOTR” cast received some compensation, but it wasn’t nearly as significant as anticipated. Blanchett’s co-star in the series, Orlando Bloom, who portrayed Legolas, has also discussed the modest salary he earned. In a 2023 appearance on “The Howard Stern Show,” Bloom revealed he was paid only $175,000 for all three films.

Blanchett, who played Galadriel, a powerful royal elf in Middle Earth, also reprised her role in “The Hobbit” prequel series.

When explaining her motivation for joining the cast, she said, “I wanted to work for the guy who made ‘Braindead.’”

“Lord of the Rings” director Peter Jackson previously directed the New Zealand horror-comedy “Braindead,” released as “Dead Alive” in 1993 in the United States. The film starred Timothy Balme as Lionel, whose mother Vera, played by Elizabeth Moody, becomes a zombie after being bitten by a Sumatran rat-monkey.

Jackson’s “Lord of the Rings” trilogy accumulated $2.9 billion worldwide, with the first film alone grossing $898.2 million.

Looking ahead, Blanchett could see a more substantial paycheck as she stars in the sci-fi action film “Borderlands,” which is adapted from the popular video game of the same name. In the film, she plays Lilith, an infamous bounty hunter with a complex past who returns to her chaotic home planet, Pandora. The movie also features Édgar Ramírez and Kevin Hart and is set to open in theaters Friday.