Cate Blanchett Reveals Surprising Earnings from 'The Lord of the Rings'

Cate Blanchett reveals that no one, including herself, received substantial pay for working on 'The Lord of the Rings' franchise despite its massive earnings. During an interview, she discussed her decision to join the trilogy and emphasized the low wages actors, especially women, often receive. Co-star Orlando Bloom confirmed similar earnings.

Actor Cate Blanchett has disclosed that the cast of 'The Lord of the Rings' franchise, including herself, received minimal payment for their work, despite the movies grossing over $2.9 billion globally.

Speaking on 'Watch What Happens Live' with Andy Cohen, Blanchett, aged 55, refuted Cohen's suggestion that 'The Lord of the Rings' was her biggest paycheck, revealing that she and her co-stars were not compensated substantially. 'No one got paid anything,' she said.

Blanchett explained her motivation for joining the iconic trilogy was to work with director Peter Jackson, known for 'Braindead.' She humorously noted that her pay essentially amounted to 'free sandwiches' and the chance to keep her elf ears. She also remarked on the broader issue of actors, particularly women, receiving less pay than perceived.

Additionally, Orlando Bloom, who portrayed Legolas, had previously revealed on 'The Howard Stern Show' that he was paid only $175,000 for the entire trilogy.

(With inputs from agencies.)