Peter Jackson’s cinematic masterpiece, The Lord of the Rings, undoubtedly captivated audiences with its visual splendor, and in its wake, propelled several actors into the limelight. Among these rising stars was Orlando Bloom, who gracefully brought the supernatural character of Legolas to life within the sprawling franchise.
Yet, an intriguing twist of fate reveals that the 46-year-old was not originally destined for the role of the enigmatic Sindar Elf. Instead, destiny weaved its intricate tapestry, leading him to embrace the character with open arms, even as he accepted a humble salary for his commitment to the monumental trilogy.
Orlando Bloom Was Paid Measly Salary For The Lord Of The Rings Trilogy
In an April 2023 appearance on the Howard Stern Show, Orlando Bloom revisited his time filming the popular series. During a segment, he talked about the paycheck he received for portraying Legolas in the epic-adventure series.
Getting candid about his salary, he told the host,
“Nothing, nothing I got nothing. $175,000 that’s what I got.“
It was understandable since he was an unknown actor at that time. However, that small salary didn’t affect his appreciation for getting associated with the series. He continued,
“Listen, the greatest gift of my life and I’d do it again for half the money.”
While working in the trilogy didn’t earn him a great salary, it turned out to be his best decision as portraying the Elf brought him into the limelight, becoming a breakthrough in his acting career.
Orlando Bloom Didn’t Audition For Legolas’ Role!
While many can’t imagine anyone else but the Troy actor in the popular character’s role, he further shared with Stern that he originally auditioned to play Faramir.
During the 20th anniversary of The Fellowship of the Ring via Independent, the 46-year-old actor threw light on auditioning for a different role before getting called in to audition for Legolas.
Sharing his experience in the same interview, he mentioned,
“I initially auditioned for Faramir…They then call me and want me on tape for Legolas. Then it was another meeting with Peter and Fran. I remember my agent calling me to say I’d got the part and I was jumping up and down in my apartment.”
He recalled his call with his agent stating that he was not expecting to land into a big screen project right after drama school.
“It was mind-boggling. I did not expect to go into a film right out of drama school.”
As for Faramir’s role, David Wenham was cast for the same. Bloom’s role eventually was one of the significant characters in a trilogy which not only catapulted him to superstardom but also kickstarted his career.
The Lord of the Rings series is available to stream on HBO Max.
Source: The Howard Stern Show, Independent
