Sean Astin sold his home at the peak of his fame from "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy due to a "shockingly small" payday, he recently revealed.

"There was a disconnect between the attention that I was getting and how much money we had," Astin, who played Samwise Gamgee, told The Guardian. He stated he made $250,000 for his role in the franchise, which spanned from 2001 to 2003.

Astin explained that he had to sell his house because he negotiated a low salary for the three films. "It was not a lot of money! In fact, I had to sell my house because I negotiated such a small amount on the trilogy," the actor said. He added that he was "not prepared for that level of visibility and access."

In 2017, Astin described on "The Jim & Sam Show" that he had purchased a house with a view and that his mortgage and insurance required $250,000 annually. After securing the "Lord of the Rings" role, he received $75,000 per movie, with no residuals but a small amount for merchandise.

"It was an offer for $250,000 for a year and a half. And I was like, ‘Wait a minute, my pen signed this contract, which obligated me to $250,000 a year, and I’m gonna sign this contract, which will make it so that I absolutely cannot satisfy that other thing,'" Astin recalled.

He noted that by the time of the publicity for the third film, his financial situation had improved. "We’re not supposed to talk about that thing, but yes, [they took care of me]," he quipped. "By then, I had done a lot of other work, and we were fine. I’m not asking for anyone to feel sorry for me because of money."

Astin's co-stars have also spoken about their earnings from the films. Elijah Wood, who played Frodo Baggins, told Business Insider in April 2025 that the salaries were not "massive" and that the production was a "real gamble" because actors were not renegotiating contracts for subsequent films.

Orlando Bloom, who portrayed Legolas, stated in 2019 that he earned $175,000 for the trilogy, adding he would "do it again for half the money." He had received $75,000 for each film, with no residuals but some merchandise pay.

Cate Blanchett, who played Galadriel, humorously remarked on "Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen" in 2024 that "no one got paid anything" beyond "free sandwiches."

When asked if he would negotiate a better salary for potential future "Lord of the Rings" projects, Astin declared, "that’s goddamn right."