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No amount of remakes, prequels, or spin-offs will ever match up to the originals — the iconic film trilogy that launched The Lord of the Rings to new heights.
It was already the most enduringly popular story in fantasy, but Peter Jackson’s adaptations of J.R.R. Tolkien’s treasured works elevated the story via a new medium, and invited thousands of new fans into Middle-earth. In the decades that have followed the release of The Fellowship of the Ring, the franchise has become among the most recognizable, impactful fantasy fixtures in Hollywood history.
But back when it was first getting made, there was no knowing how well the films would perform. Which left the stars, many of whom were relative unknowns at the time, to agree to salaries that, in the wake of the films’ immense popularity, seem criminally low.
How much did the lead Lord of the Rings stars make?
Each of the leading actors in the Lord of the Rings trilogy saw their popularity skyrocket following their appearance in the series, but many of their bank accounts weren’t so lucky. There’s an argument to be made for how the films impacted their future earnings after elevating those without prior popularity to A-list status, but that doesn’t make these measly earnings any more acceptable after all the grueling work they put in.
Orlando Bloom
Legolas isn’t the most important character in the Lord of the Rings story, but Bloom’s portrayal of the keen-eyed elf elevated him to new heights. Despite the panting, starry-eyed fanbase his performance inspired, Bloom accepted the smallest sum of any LOTR star. He was paid only $175,000 for his appearance in the films, but later saw his career explode. He wasn’t slumming it for long — Bloom went on to star in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, and gradually bulked his net worth up to an enviable $40 million.
Sean Astin
There’s no arguing the utterly vital nature of Sean Astin’s Samwise Gamgee in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. He’s Frodo’s loyal companion across his entire journey, he perseveres even when his beloved friend cannot, and dammit, Sean deserved far more money than he got for absolutely crushing such a vital role.
Despite the utterly breathtaking performance supplied by Astin, he was a minor enough at the time of signing onto LOTR that he did so for pennies, when compared to what the flicks made. Astin signed onto the project for a mere $250,000 per film, a truly criminal sum, but went on to enjoy a wonderful career. Despite those meager early returns, he’s now worth a nice solid $10 million.
Elijah Wood
The star of the Lord of the Rings franchise deserved to make major money, after carrying the soul of the trilogy on his back (or around his neck), but somehow Elijah Wood was among the worst-paid LOTR stars — at least, at first. For The Fellowship of the Ring, Wood was paid the same measly sum as Astin: $250,000. Thankfully, as the flicks went on, he was able to renegotiate his pay to a far more fitting $1 million per film, lending a fair bit to the star’s $20 million net worth.
Andy Serkis
Andy Serkis, who entered the Lord of the Rings set with far more experience than several of the trilogy’s youthful stars, managed to negotiate far more favorably from the start. He cinched Wood’s eventual salary — $1 million per film — from the get-go, ensuring that history’s very best Gollum was well-paid for his effort. And what an effort it was — Serkis contributed some grueling work to the films, and in the process permanently altered the landscape where motion capture was concerned. He’s continued to put in stellar work in the years since, earning him a nice respectable $18 million net worth.
Ian McKellen
Ian McKellen is an absolute treasure, and he brings dedication, hard-won skill, and decades of experience to every role he takes on. Gandalf serves as a stellar example of the heartfelt commitment McKellen brings to each and every role, and — unlike some of his co-stars — the beloved actor was actually paid well for his time. McKellen took home a reported $13 million for his work across the Lord of the Rings trilogy — and even more when he returned for The Hobbit — all of which massively contributed to the star’s bulky $60 million net worth.
John Rhys-Davies
While he boasts nearly as much experience and longevity as the White Wizard himself, John Rhys-Davies doesn’t boast the same name recognition. As a result, he was unable to negotiate nearly as much pay, landing the Gimli star with a far less favorable contract than his brilliant co-star. While his precise pay for the LOTR franchise remains unknown, its broadly assumed that a bulk of Rhys-Davies’ $5 million net worth was accumulated thanks to his contributions to the franchise.
Sean Bean
The great, ever-unfortunate Sean Bean can’t seem to make it past a single season or film without getting the ax (sometimes literally), but at least he is well remembered for his contributions to the fantasy genre. The talented star, who brought Boromir to life across The Fellowship of the Ring — and, if you’re an extended edition exclusive like myself, Two Towers as well — reportedly only made $250,000 for his part in the debut LOTR flick, but his work in the film helped launch a career of high powered, but ill-fated, fantasy characters for the beloved star. It’s certainly not the primary culprit behind his $20 million net worth, but it may well be the role that helped forge his career.
Dominic Monaghan
Dom and Billy are Merry and Pippin incarnate. They embraced the iconic characters so wholeheartedly, those long years back, that they simply morphed into bigger, man-sized versions of the loyal and eager Hobbits, and never looked back a day since.
It’s a good thing they enjoyed their time on set, because it doesn’t seem either actor made out particularly well in the financial department. While exact numbers regarding their LOTR salaries have never been made available, it’s widely assumed that Dom and Billy brought home equal to, or less than, fellow Fellowship members like Orlando Bloom and Sean Astin. At least they made out with reasonable bank accounts in the end, with Monaghan working his way up to a cozy $12 million net worth, and Boyd coming in a few mill behind at $6 million.
Liv Tyler
She may not be anywhere near as central as the Fellowship or even Gollum, but Liv Tyler’s Arwen is a vital element of the Lord of the Rings story. She brings a different flavor of power and femininity to the iconic tale, a key addition alongside such an overwhelmingly male cast, and for her efforts she earned a reported $2 million for her appearance in Fellowship of the Ring. It’s akin to criminal that she made so much more than stars like Elijah Wood, but at least Tyler knows her worth.
Her salary for the subsequent LOTR flicks isn’t as well reported, but it likely went up at least a bit, alongside her fellow Middle Earth stars, and contributed a good bulk to her current $50 million net worth.
Viggo Mortensen
Viggo Mortensen became an international sensation following his gripping, gritty portrayal of one of the most popular Lord of the Rings characters out there: Aragorn. He made a name for himself across his three-film appearances, and went on to land high-profile roles in Hidalgo and Green Book, all of which contributed to his widespread popularity among fans.
While his precise salary for the LOTR trilogy remains unknown, it seems likely that Mortensen agreed to an initially low salary, much like Bloom and Wood, before working to renegotiate higher pay. Even if he wasn’t paid what he was worth — something that seems common across the trilogy — Mortensen isn’t crying many tears, given his now-comfy $40 million net worth.
Cate Blanchett
Last but by no stretch of the imagination least, we have Cate Blanchett, the stunning and impossibly talented woman behind the poised and effervescent Galadriel. She played the role across three Lord of the Rings flicks and a subsequent trio of Hobbit films, but her paychecks for the role were never disclosed. Given her prominent status ahead of the film’s release, and continued popularity, it seems fair to say that Galadriel lends to, but doesn’t make up the bulk of, Blanchett’s $95 million net worth.