TMZ.com

Cate Blanchett's star-making role in "Lord of the Rings" wasn't as glamorous as one would imagine ... as the actress admits she was paid practically nothing for the fantasy flick.

The A-lister made the confession during her appearance on "Watch What Happens Live" Wednesday, where she left host Andy Cohen shocked when she hinted at her minimal paycheck for the 'LOTR' franchise.

Cate confessed she and her castmates weren't "paid anything" to appear in Peter Jackson's trilogy back in the early '00s.

Hulk Hogan can't be happy Ben Affleck and Matt Damon are doing a movie on what we're told is the "darkest period of his life," and if Ben and Matt cross the line, he's ready, willing and able to take legal action ... TMZ has learned.

B&M are producing a flick on the lawsuit the WWE legend filed and won against Gawker, after the site posted a sex tape video of Hogan and the wife of a friend. A racial epithet was captured on the vid. Hulk sued Gawker for invasion of privacy and in 2016 won a whopping $140 million verdict ... which eventually tanked Gawker.

Sources connected to Hulk tell TMZ he has no involvement whatsoever in the film project and is currently "indifferent" about it. HOWEVER, if the movie treads into territory that a jury already found was protected by his right to privacy, Hulk will not hesitate to pursue legal options ... which he's clearly done before.

Blake Lively didn't have to break the bank for her Britney Spears tribute ... because TMZ found out how much she paid for a Versace dress the singer famously wore back in the day.

Sources familiar with the situation tell TMZ ... Blake spent a little more than $10,000 for Britney's iconic outfit from the 2002 Versace fashion show.

We're told Blake purchased the dress through Tab Vintage, a shop in Los Angeles specializing in vintage clothing. The store posted the dress on social media, but didn't include the price -- and when Blake inquired about the cost, she was surprised ... and just had to have the garment.

Reese Witherspoon is mourning a loss in her family ... as the actress has confirmed the passing of her beloved dog, Hank.

The A-lister took to her Instagram Stories Tuesday, where she announced the death of her pet Chocolate Labrador ... who she has had for over a decade.

Alongside a photo of the sweet pup sitting on a welcome mat, Reese praised the animal as the "best family pet and pack leader."

Blake Lively looked like she was auditioning for the role of "Barbie" in NYC Tuesday night as she decked herself out in a sexy all-pink ensemble.

The actress strolled into the Tavern On The Green restaurant in Manhattan's Central Park for the after-party of the premiere of her new film,  "It Ends With Us."

But, it seemed as if Blake should have been attending the Barbie after-party in her pink corset dress with matching high heels. She also sported flashy pink droplet earrings and a silver bracelet while holding a clutch bag.

Britney Spears has yet to name the leading lady for her biopic ... but those close to the pop star are already making suggestions.

Felicia Culotta, Britney's former longtime assistant and confidante, tells TMZ ... she's so happy to hear the singer's best-selling memoir, "The Woman in Me," is being made into a movie. As she's a significant character in the tell-all, she already has a couple of casting ideas ... for Britney AND herself.

For starters, she thinks Emma Roberts would be a stellar choice for Brit. Emma is best known for her work in the "American Horror Story" franchise ... but was once a singing child star on Nickelodeon's "Unfabulous," which parallels Britney's own roots on "The Mickey Mouse Club."

Here's Blake Lively channeling Britney Spears at her movie premiere ... with a nod to one of the singer's most iconic looks.

Blake turned heads Tuesday at the "It Ends With Us" premiere in New York ... wearing a one-strap Versace dress once worn by Britney herself.

The homage to Britney comes on the heels of news about Britney's bestselling memoir being on track to be turned into a biopic.

Zac Efron is back on American soil after being hospitalized in Spain ... following an incident in a swimming pool ... and TMZ has the first images of the actor arriving in the States.

As you can see, Zac is rolling deep ... he's got a whole entourage with him on the tarmac at a Miami airport after taking a private flight home from Ibiza.

Looks like Zac is bringing home some souvenirs from his summer vacation in Europe ... peep his hat -- seems he picked up this lid in Mykonos, Greece.

Zac Efron's swimming pool incident started when he dove into the water ... the dive was so deep, he hit the bottom of the pool and ingested water into his lungs ... TMZ has learned.

Sources close to the situation tell us Zac went for a swim with friends very early Saturday morning in Ibiza when he decided to take a dive.

We're told Zac ingested a large amount of water into his lungs when his chest hit the bottom of the pool on the dive ... and he showed signs of distress and onsite security helped him out of the water.

Legendary film director David Lynch says he's suffering from emphysema ... but that's not stopping him from continuing his passion for creating art.

Lynch – best known for his 1980s hit movies "The Elephant Man" and "Blue Velvet" – jumped on X and posted a message Monday, saying his emphysema -- a lung disease -- was caused by years of chain smoking despite putting down cigarettes for good two years ago.

Still, he says medical tests show he's in wonderful shape and that's why he refuses to retire from his acclaimed career.

Leonardo DiCaprio's yacht day in Sardinia didn't go according to plan ... as the actor had an unfortunate run-in with some sea life.

The Oscar winner was enjoying a dip in the Mediterranean Sea with his girlfriend, Vittoria Ceretti, as they jetted around the crystal blue water in goggles. Yet, the fun times didn't last long, as Leo soon emerged from the water ... and called out for help regarding a mark just below his tush.

Clearly suffering from a jellyfish sting or a bite of some sort, Leo hopped beneath the yacht's outdoor shower ... where his model girlfriend took a closer look at the wound.

Will Smith might want to start gearing up for the apocalypse ... 'cause he seemed to have the streets all to himself in the early morning -- and, it got him thinking about "I Am Legend."

The actor shared a video to Instagram ... telling fans he's walking through Zurich, Switzerland, in the early hours and flashing back to the hit 2007 flick -- 'cause he says he's not seeing another soul.

Smith explains he's only in Zurich because his plane couldn't take off ... unclear why exactly he's in Europe -- but, he says he needed to spend the night.

Zac Efron says he's feeling fine after an overnight stay in the hospital ... posting a workout pic to show fans he's already back up and lifting.

The actor shared the snap to his Instagram story just minutes ago ... chest-pressing some pretty major dumbbells while lying atop a yoga ball -- implying he's not taking any days off from the grind.

Efron writes he's "happy and healthy" and thanks everyone for their well-wishes. He even adds the date -- doing everything to let fans know they took the photo earlier Sunday.

Josh Hartnett took some inspiration from his real life for his recent serial killer role ... saying he based his psychopath on others he's met -- in the film industry!

The actor sat down for an interview with Entertainment Weekly Friday ... and he talks about diving into the mind of a serial killer like he did for his new movie "Trap" directed by M. Night Shyamalan.

Hartnett explains there are a lot of people on top -- CEOs, politicians and even people in entertainment -- who will say or do anything to get what they want ... regardless of the people they hurt to do it.

Robert Downey Jr. returning to the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Dr. Doom has some fans already bitching ... but one fellow actor who's worn the villain's iron mask is all in.

Here's the deal ... RDJ made a jaw-dropping appearance at Comic-Con where his MCU return after years as Tony Stark, AKA Iron Man, was announced ... which of course led to some clutching their nerd pearls -- as if it would sully his Marvel legacy.

Joseph Culp, who played Dr. Doom in the infamous 1994 “The Fantastic 4” film-- which never got an official release over an epic rights fight and has been bootlegged all to hell -- tells TMZ the trash talk needs to stop ... 'cause RDJ was and is the Marvel man!

Demi Moore's breaking wind with her new take -- she’s calling for farting to be normalized and wondering why it’s such a gas-tly issue.

The actress let it out while collab-ing with digestive health company Wonderbelly for a hilarious IG clip ... reading up on the history of flatulence from the company's new book "An Adult's Guide to Farts" to help her daughters Rumer, Scout, and Tallulah embrace the wind.

From blaming the dog to changing your identity ... Demi spilled the gas-causing beans on all the ways we commonly deal with farting.