Celestial Being Cate Blanchett Talks LGBTQ+ Relationships and Hollywood’s Ageism

In honor of Carol‘s release, Cate Blanchett has once again descended to entertain the mortals.

In an interview over at The Guardian, Blanchett recounts how she was asked by a Cannes reporter after the Carol premiere if, like her character in the film, she’s had any romantic relationships with women. Blanchett explained:

I also just played Mary Mapes, who’s a journalist. No one asked me how long I’d been to journalism school. If I played someone who has an affair, I think a reporter would probably think twice before asking, ‘Ooh, how many affairs have you had?’ It would be a slightly delicate area. But there are no holds barred about asking me whether I’ve had relationships with women. And so I facetiously said, ‘Oh yes, I’ve had many relationships with women’—because frankly, who hasn’t? Of course I said it in inverted commas. But the inverted commas didn’t make the page.

Blanchett’s play on the question’s ambiguity—sure, we’ve all had relationships with women, but that doesn’t mean we’ve had romantic relationships–has been her go-to answer throughout press for Carol. Although it would be amazing to have high-profile LGBTQ+ representation like Cate Blanchett, I also totally respect her trolling reporters who attempt to commodify her personal life. Sure, the LGBTQ+ community could always use more vocal members in Hollywood, but queer actors have the same right to privacy as straight actors, and it’s not for bystanders or the media to conflate “right to privacy” with “being closeted.”

The 46-year-old actress, who says “actress years are like dog years. So that makes me about 120,” also talked the gender wage gap and the future of the LGBTQ+ stories in Hollywood:

Well, the fact that we’re talking about it means there are still barriers. It’s like the situation with women in film—or, frankly, women in every industry – not being paid the same as men. You have to keep it on the agenda. You have to keep it politicised. But I’m not very interested in agitprop cinema. That’s the realm of the documentary. That’s where investigative journalism belongs. The problem is that when you represent a character in a same-sex relationship, it’s like you have to represent them all. You become a spokesperson, which really isn’t the point. When the time comes that we have a diversity of same-sex couples in film, then the problem is solved, I don’t have to stand for everyone.

Blanchett also offered a helpful acting tip for us plebs:

I think a point of understanding is probably a good thing. I mean, with some people it’s harder than with others. If I was playing Donald Trump, it might be a tall order. I would play Donald Trump in a heartbeat.The comb-over? I’m there. Todd Haynes could make a whole new film. Six different incarnations of Trump.

Sigh. Trump would probably love that.

(via Pajiba)

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