Cate Blanchett just spilled the beans on her Lord of the Rings paycheck, and it’s a doozy!
You remember Cate, right? She’s the 55-year-old actress who played the ethereal elf Galadriel in the trilogy that started in 2001 and reprised her role in the Hobbit movies. So, when Cate appeared on Watch What Happens Live, Andy Cohen had a wild guess: “Did you make a fortune from the LOTR films?”
Cate’s reaction was priceless. She practically fell off her chair, exclaiming, “Are you kidding me? I didn’t get paid a single ring for that gig!” Apparently, back then, the whole idea of bonuses for box office hits was as foreign as hobbits were to Middle-Earth.
So, why did she sign up for the role? Cate’s reason was as charming as it was amusing: “I wanted to work with the genius who made Braindead.” That’s Peter Jackson, in case you missed the early ’90s zombie comedy craze.
And what did Cate actually get for her trouble? “Free sandwiches and I got to keep my elf ears!” she joked, giving us the lowdown on her “paycheck.”
In case you’re wondering, Cate added a bit of reality check, saying, “Women don’t get paid as much as you think they do.” So next time you see a hobbit, remember: it’s the elves who got the short end of the paycheck stick!
@bravowwhl How much money did Cate Blanchett make from Lord of the Rings? #WWHL ♬ original sound – BravoWWHL