Cate Blanchett Shuts Down Andy Cohen by Revealing Shocking Lord of the Rings Details

While Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy has become a lauded masterpiece by fans everywhere, earning 17 Oscars across the trilogy and raking in just under $900 million at the box office, it wasn’t as glamorous for the cast during shooting. In fact, Cate Blanchett, who played Galadriel in the trilogy, has revealed that she barely got paid for appearing in the films. Blanchett’s Elven character narrates The Fellowship of the Ring‘s iconic opening, and makes several in-person appearances across the franchise.

Cate Blanchett appeared on Watch What Happens Live to promote her leading role in Eli Roth’s upcoming video game adaptation Borderlands. During the show, Blanchett was asked which of her movies earned her the highest pay check. Whilst she was thinking, the host guessed that The Lord of the Rings banked the Australian actress the most. But Blanchett quickly shut that idea down, revealing the truth of her financial benefits from The Lord of the Rings. She said:

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

The host asked a follow-up question, wondering if Blanchett saw any of the “backend” from the movie — meaning a share of the film’s revenue, which has become a common practice. Blanchett shut down that idea as well. The actress revealed that she signed on to the trilogy because she was desperate to work with Peter Jackson. She answered:

“No! That was way before any of that. No, nothing. I wanted to work with the guy who made Braindead. I basically got free sandwiches, and I got to keep my [elf] ears. Women don’t get paid much as you think they do.”

A new Lord of the Rings Movie is Coming

It’s been over 20 years since The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King came out in theaters (feel old yet?), and fans understandably still can’t move on from Peter Jackson’s phenomenal trilogy. Despite the mixed reception to the Hobbit trilogy, and Prime Video’s prequel series The Rings of Power, fans are always desperate for more entries in the cinematic franchise. Luckily, those prayers have been answered, as a new Lord of the Rings movie is on the way. Directed by Andy Serkis, The Hunt for Gollum sees Peter Jackson return to the franchise as an executive producer. The movie focuses on the corrupted hobbit Gollum (played by Serkis), although full plot details have yet to be announced. The film is in early development, and slated for release in 2026. The Hunt for Gollum will also kick-start a new batch of movies within J.R.R Tolkien’s universe.

Related

Another OG Lord of the Rings Star Addresses Hunt For Gollum Return

Another original star of The Lord of the Rings movies is open to a return in Andy Serkis’ upcoming prequel.

It was announced in 2023 that Warner Bros. planned to release a new slate of Lord of the Rings movies. However, prospective details about the other planned films have not been revealed. While fans wait for more news, The Lord of the Rings franchise is continuing its foray into the TV space. The second season of The Rings of Power is set to hit Prime Video on August 29, and teases the iconic villain Sauron’s rise to power.