A member of the ensemble cast from Peter Jackson’s acclaimed Lord of the Rings Trilogy has recently come forward to discuss their surprisingly modest earnings for their role in the groundbreaking 2000s films, shedding light on the financial realities behind one of the most iconic film franchises of all time.

The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, consisting of The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King, is undeniably one of the most successful movie franchises in history, both commercially and critically. Together, the trilogy grossed a staggering $2.9 billion globally, with the third one, The Return of the King, becoming the second-ever movie to gross over $1 billion worldwide. Despite this success, one of the actors who starred in all three films recently disclosed how little they were paid for their work on the Lord of the Rings Trilogy.

During a recent discussion, Cate Blanchett surprised fans by revealing just how little she earned from the $2 billion-grossing Lord of the Rings franchise. Blanchett shared that she didn’t receive a significant paycheck for her part in Peter Jackson’s epic trilogy. The 55-year-old Australian actress revealed this on Bravo’s Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen while promoting her new video game film, Borderlands, alongside co-star Gina Gershon. During the show, she participated in a segment called “Plead the Fifth,” where celebrities face tough questions. When host Andy Cohen asked her to name the film that earned her the biggest paycheck, guessing it was Lord of the Rings due to her iconic portrayal of the elf Galadriel, Blanchett quickly shut down the idea. “Are you kidding me? No, I didn’t get paid anything to do that movie!” she exclaimed.

Blanchett was one of the select actors to feature in all three films of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, which were exclusively shot concurrently — a rare feat in cinema. Filming for the entire trilogy spanned from October 1999 to December 2000, with a collective budget of $289 million. This ambitious endeavor paid off immensely, as the trilogy, released each December from 2001 to 2003, amassed $2.9 billion globally, shattering records and silencing skeptics. When asked what motivated her to join the project, Blanchett revealed that the chance to collaborate with director Peter Jackson was all the incentive she needed: “I wanted to work with the guy who made Braindead,” she remarked, referring to one of Jackson’s earlier cult horror-comedies, released as Dead Alive in 1992. “I mean, I basically got free sandwiches, and I got to keep my ears—which is something, they fed me.” When questioned about the film where she earned the most, Blanchett candidly added, “I mean, women don’t get paid as much as you think they do.”

The cast of The Lord of the Rings offers a fascinating study, especially Cate Blanchett’s involvement. Though her role as Galadriel, the Lady of Lothlórien woods and a powerful elf in Middle-earth, is significant, it is not extensive. Galadriel appears in a few crucial scenes across the trilogy, making her presence more peripheral. Blanchett’s limited screen time can be attributed to the fact that, at the time, she was not yet a major mainstream Hollywood name, having just made her mark with prestige-level films such as The Talented Mr. Ripley and Elizabeth I, which earned her Oscar nomination that launched her career.

During the Lord of the Rings trilogy (2001-2003), Cate Blanchett’s career skyrocketed, leading her to collaborate with top directors like Wes Anderson, Martin Scorsese, Richard Eyre, Todd Haynes, Steven Spielberg, David Fincher, and Alejandro G. Iñárritu, among others. This period earned her major box office success and numerous award nominations, including Oscars and Golden Globes, solidifying her status as a leading global star by the 2010s. Thus, those early days working on LotR for sandwich pay proved to be one of the best career investments Cate Blanchett could have made.

The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit Trilogies are streaming on Max.