Lord Of The Rings Star Says "No One Got Paid Anything" For The Billion-Dollar Series

As a devoted fan and connoisseur of cinematic masterpieces, I can’t help but be utterly astonished by the tales of our beloved heroes from Middle-earth who, despite gracing our screens with their magical performances, were barely compensated for their efforts. Cate Blanchett, the enchanting Galadriel herself, has regaled us with stories of free sandwiches and elf ears, all while being enthralled by the genius of Peter Jackson.


Approximately two decades back, The Lord of the Rings trilogy redefined the bar for fantasy movies on the silver screen. Even Return of the King garnered accolades such as Best Picture, Best Director, and numerous others at the Oscars. Yet, despite their enduring popularity, the actors who graced these films were not compensated as one might expect. More recently, Cate Blanchett, who played Galadriel in both The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies, disclosed that “no one was paid anything” for taking part in the movies.

On an episode of Watch What Happens Live, Blanchett appeared as a guest and was inquired if her roles in The Lord of the Rings films were her most financially rewarding. Her reaction showed surprise, and she humorously commented that “I essentially received free lunches, and I got to keep my [elf] ears.” She further clarified that she took on the role because she was a supporter of Peter Jackson’s movies.

How much money did Cate Blanchett make from Lord of the Rings? #WWHL

— Watch What Happens Live! (@BravoWWHL) August 8, 2024

“Blanchett expressed interest in collaborating with the filmmaker behind Braindead, which is known as Dead Alive in the U.S., a zombie comedy released in 1992. This movie played a significant role in Jackson’s rise to fame as a director before he brought J.R.R. Tolkien’s books to life on screen.”

Last year on The Howard Stern Show, Orlando Bloom, who played Legolas in the trilogy, made remarks similar to what he’s saying now. It was disclosed that he earned $175,000 for his work across all three movies. However, Bloom expressed that if given another chance, he would still be willing to take part in the project again.

“Indeed, this has been the most precious blessing in my world,” I exclaimed. “Frankly, I’d gladly repeat the experience, even if I only received a fraction of the original payment.”

In simple terms, the upcoming Lord of the Rings live-action film is titled “The Hunt for Gollum.” Andy Serkis, who previously played Gollum, will direct and appear in this movie again. At present, it’s not clear if any other original cast members will join him on this project.

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2024-08-08 19:39