Published by Cel Manero from Global One Media Inc.
Cate Blanchett revealed that her salary for “Lord of the Rings” was relatively modest, even though the franchise earned over $2.9 billion worldwide.
The 55-year-old actress shared this detail during an interview with Andy Cohen on Bravo’s “Watch What Happens Live” on Tuesday night.
When asked which film had given her the largest paycheck, Cohen guessed it might be from Peter Jackson’s blockbuster trilogy. Blanchett, who portrayed the magical elf Galadriel in the series, clarified that this was not the case.
Blanchett responded with surprise when Cohen suggested that “LOTR” was her highest-earning project, saying, “Are you kidding me? No, nobody was paid much for that movie.”
When Cohen asked if she received a share of the film’s profits, Blanchett clarified, “No, that was before any of that was a thing. I got nothing.”
She explained her motivation for joining the project by saying, “I wanted to work with the director of ‘Braindead,’” referring to Peter Jackson. Blanchett humorously noted that her compensation was minimal, saying, “I basically got free sandwiches and got to keep my [elf] ears.”
Blanchett pointed out to Cohen, “Women don’t receive as much compensation as people might assume.”
Last year, Orlando Bloom shared with Howard Stern that he earned only $175,000 for his role as Legolas in all three “Lord of the Rings” films.
Bloom commented, “Nothing, nothing, I got nothing. $175,000 is all I received,” adding that the trilogy provided him with valuable name recognition instead. “Honestly, it was the greatest gift of my life, and I’d do it again for half the money,” he told Stern.
Earlier this year, Blanchett faced backlash for describing herself as “middle class.” In May, she explained, “I’m white, I’m privileged, I’m middle class. One might accuse me of having a white savior complex, but my experiences with refugees, both in the field and in resettlement, have profoundly altered my worldview,” as reported by The Daily Wire.
