Despite the Lord of the Rings trilogy becoming one of the most successful franchises in film history, Elijah Wood says the cast didn’t walk away with life-changing paychecks. Speaking with Business Insider at the Texas Film Awards, the actor opened up about the financial side of starring in Peter Jackson’s iconic films — and why the experience meant more than money.
"Because we weren’t making one movie and then renegotiating a contract for the next, it wasn’t the sort of lucrative scenario that you could sort of rest easy for the rest of your life," Wood explained.
He added that Peter Jackson and New Line Cinema took "a real gamble" on the trilogy, keeping costs down — including salaries — to make it happen.
And successful it was. The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King collectively grossed nearly $2.9 billion worldwide, securing their place among the highest-grossing film franchises of all time.
Still, Wood holds no resentment. "The benefit of that was that we were also signing up for something that was going to be a part of our lives forever," he said, calling the films "some of the best experiences of my life."
His comments echo those of Cate Blanchett, who joked last year: "I basically got free sandwiches, and I got to keep my ears." Asked if it was her biggest payday, she laughed: "Are you kidding me? No one got paid anything to do that movie."
Orlando Bloom also revealed on The Howard Stern Show in 2019 that he was paid $175,000 for playing Legolas. "I got nothing," he said, "but I’d do it for half the money."
While their earnings didn’t match the franchise’s success, all three actors agree: the real reward was being part of something unforgettable.
