Lord of the Rings star says "no one got paid anything" for the epic fantasy trilogy

Cate Blanchett says she and her co-stars didn't make very much money off the Lord of the Rings franchise – which comes as a shock.

"Are you kidding me?" Blanchett replied when Watch What Happens Live host Andy Cohen suggested that her biggest paycheck was from Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy (via Variety ). "No, no one got paid anything to do that movie."

Blanchett played Galadriel in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Rings, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, and The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug.

"I basically got free sandwiches, and I got to keep my [elf] ears," Blanchett continued, adding that she never got a "piece of the backend" either.

The first installment in Jackson's trilogy hit theaters in 2001, and grossed $887.4 million against a whopping $93 million budget. All three films together took in a box office total of $1.156 billion. So needless to say, we're frustrated on her behalf.

Despite this, Blanchett said in a recent interview that she would absolutely return as Galadriel for The Hunt for Gollum, which is being directed by none other than Andy Serkis. The actor told The Standard that she "finagled her way into The Hobbit" and that she would "do anything with Andy Serkis."

The Hunt for Gollum is slated for a 2026 release date. Blanchett can currently be seen starring as Lilith in Eli Roth's live-action Borderlands movie. For more, check out our list of the most exciting upcoming movies in 2024 and beyond.