Cate Blanchett jokes Lord of the Rings pay-check was basically 'free sandwiches'

Virgin Radio

9 Aug 2024, 10:57

Cate Blanchett has revealed Lord of the Rings’ original cast weren’t paid as much as fans might expect for their roles in the blockbuster trilogy.

Despite Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy being one of the highest-grossing film series of all time, Blanchett seemed to claim the film’s nearly $3 billion dollar gross didn’t make it into the pockets of its stars.

Speaking on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen while promoting her new film, Borderlands, the Tár actress was asked which film she earned the most money for, but Cohen quickly cut in “I think it’s probably Lord of the Rings.’”

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Blanchett surprised the talk show host with her reply, saying: “Are you kidding me? No, no one got paid anything to do that movie.”

Questioning whether she was given a residual bonus after the films’ astonishing box office success, she added: “No, that was way before any of that. No, nothing.

“I wanted to work with the guy who made ‘Braindead’,” the Academy Award winner explained about her impetus for starring in the film. She was delighted to get the opportunity, but joked: “I basically got free sandwiches and I got to keep my [elf] ears!” when it came to her salary.

In the end Blanchett avoided answering what film she was paid the most for, but took the opportunity to suggest to Cohen: “Women don’t get paid as much as you think they do,” in reference to the problem of sexist pay disparity in Hollywood.

In Borderlands – adapted from the video game of the same name – Blanchett stars as outlaw Lilith, who returns to the planet where she grew up on a search for treasure.

The film also stars Kevin Hart, Jack Black (as the voice of the robot Claptrap), Edgar Ramírez, Ariana Greenblatt and Jamie Lee Curtis.

In other Cate Blanchett news, the actress recently admitted her latest project, Rumours, took its title from the famous Fleetwood Mac album.

“Rumours the album was famously creatively fraught and everyone was sleeping with each other,” the film’s co-directors the Johnson brothers explained at Cannes Film Fesitval this May, referencing their upcoming dark-comedy film which will feature a satirical take on the G7.

“No one questioned it,” they continued. “We thought people, producers, and financiers, would be like, ‘Why Rumours?’ But no one ever questioned it, so it just made the title.”

Borderlands is out in cinemas now.