The revelations surrounding the financial aspects of the beloved Lord of the Rings film series have caught many by surprise. Cate Blanchett, known for her role in the iconic fantasy trilogy, recently shared that she and her fellow actors did not receive substantial payments for their work on the films.

When asked by Andy Cohen during an appearance on Watch What Happens Live about whether her most significant earnings came from Peter Jackson's trilogy, Blanchett expressed disbelief. She clarified that none of the cast members received significant compensation for their participation in the project.

Blanchett portrayed the character Galadriel across multiple films, including The Fellowship of the Rings, The Two Towers, The Return of the King, along with appearances in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and The Desolation of Smaug. In a lighthearted remark, she mentioned that her compensation largely consisted of complimentary sandwiches and the privilege of keeping her elf ears. Additionally, she noted that she never benefited from any backend profits from the films.

The initial movie in the trilogy was released in 2001, generating an impressive $887.4 million against a production budget of $93 million. Collectively, the three films earned a staggering $1.156 billion at the box office, which adds to the frustration felt by fans regarding the compensation of the cast.

Despite these revelations, Blanchett expressed enthusiasm about returning to the role of Galadriel for The Hunt for Gollum, directed by Andy Serkis. She shared that she managed to secure a role in The Hobbit and is eager to work with Serkis again on this new project, which is anticipated to debut in 2026. Nowadays, Blanchett is appearing as Lilith in Eli Roth's adaptation of the Borderlands video game.