Cate Blanchett says ‘no one got paid anything’ for Lord of the Rings

Friday, 9 August 2024

Actor Cate Blanchett says “no one got paid anything” to feature in the first instalment of the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

On the US talk show Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen, the actor was asked about what film yielded her the highest pay cheque, with the host assuming the answer would be Peter Jackson’s 2001 box office hit.

“Are you kidding me,” Blanchett responds. “No. No one got paid anything to do that movie.”

Cohen asks whether she “got a piece of the backend,” referring to the practice of movie stars getting a percentage of a film’s gross revenue.

“That was way before any of that,” she says. “No, nothing.”

Blanchett says she jumped at the opportunity to star in the 2001 film largely because she was fond of the director.

“I wanted to work with the guy who made Braindead,’” she says. “I mean, I basically got free sandwiches. And I got to keep my ears.”

Blanchett played Galadriel, one of the greatest elves in Middle-earth, in the film series. The first film grossed over $1.4b worldwide.

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story said the original Lord of the Rings film grossed over $140m worldwide. It was over $1.4b. (Amended Friday, August 9, 10.10am)