Sean Astin says he earned about $250,000 for The Lord of the Rings trilogy and sold his house

Sean Astin says the financial side of The Lord of the Rings was far less magical than the movies themselves. In an interview with The Guardian, the actor said he was paid about $250,000 for all three films as Sam Gamgee and later had to sell his house.

Astin said the pay worked out to about $75,000 for each film. He also said he did not receive royalties from later broadcasts or sales of the movies, even though the trilogy became a major hit.

The actor said the way the trilogy was filmed made the situation harder. All three films were shot simultaneously, which meant the cast could not renegotiate their contracts after The Fellowship of the Ring became successful.

Astin also recalled that he had bought a house on a mortgage before filming began, and that the annual payments were too high for him at the time. In his words, there was a gap between the attention he was getting and the amount of money he had, and he was not prepared for that level of public attention.

Astin said he now feels financially comfortable, and he added that if he ever returned to the role of Sam, he would ask for higher pay. The story is another reminder that a blockbuster role does not always translate into blockbuster earnings.

Meanwhile, a new film set in The Lord of the Rings universe, titled The Hunt for Gollum, is currently in development. Filming began in July.

Did Sean Astin's $250,000 total for the trilogy surprise you, or does it change how you see blockbuster pay?