Cate Blanchett spills shocking truth about Lord of The Rings trilogy paychecks

New York, New York - Australian star Cate Blanchett said she got "free sandwiches" but was not paid well for her role as high elf Galadriel in the Lord Of The Rings franchise.

Cate Blanchett said "no one got paid anything" for their work on the original Lord of the Rings film trilogy.
Cate Blanchett said "no one got paid anything" for their work on the original Lord of the Rings film trilogy.  © IMAGO / Allstar

The two-time Oscar winner was asked what film brought her the biggest paycheck, while playing "Plead The Fifth" on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen.

When the host guessed Lord Of The Rings, a surprised Blanchett said: "Are you kidding me? No, no one got paid anything to do that movie."

When Cohen asked if she got "a piece in the back end," meaning a percentage of profits the project makes, the 55-year-old actor said: "No! That was way before any of that, no nothing."

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"I wanted to work with the guy who made 'Braindead' (Sir Peter Jackson). I mean, I basically got free sandwiches and I got to keep my ears, which is something, they fed me."

"No, no one got paid anything."

Blanchett, who was promoting her latest film, Borderlands, while on the TV show, added that "women don’t get paid as much as you think they do."

It comes after the acting star said she would return as Galadriel for the upcoming Lord Of The Rings spin-off if asked, as she would "do anything with Andy Serkis."

In May, news broke that Serkis would direct a new Lord Of The Rings film about his character Gollum, Jackson, the director of the original trilogy, set to return as producer with his partners Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens.

After a film screening at Glastonbury Festival, Blanchett was asked if she would return as her character in the film – which is set for release in 2026 – to which she agreed.

Cover photo: IMAGO / Allstar

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