Cate Blanchett has spoken candidly about her experience filming Babel, revealing that director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu sharply criticized her and co-star Brad Pitt during production. The double Oscar winner shared her story at the Rendez-vous in the Bunuel Theatre at the Cannes film festival, reflecting on the need for respectful yet rigorous environments on set.
Blanchett Recalls Tense Moment on Babel Set
Blanchett described a scene where she and Pitt were filming, and after a couple of takes, Inarritu approached them. 'Brad and I shot a scene. We did a couple of takes and Inarritu came up and said, "This is s***." He said, "What is this s***?" And he said, "There's nothing here". He said, "This scene has to work or the movie doesn't work,"' she recounted. The actress admitted the comments were unsettling, saying, 'It knocks you off your centre.'
Call for Respectful Filmmaking
Blanchett emphasized the importance of how directors communicate with actors. 'It's a really interesting time for us to think about the way we talk to one another on set, because some people would say that's incredibly disrespectful, or that's upsetting to me. But sometimes a director can lead with love, but incredibly tough love, and I've been sort of thinking a lot about how we can create respectful spaces for one another that are still robust and demanding, because I think we have to be rigorous when we make film, but with joy.'
Aging and Physical Limitations
The 57-year-old Australian actress and producer also discussed how aging has affected her physical abilities. 'As you get older, the palette that you're playing upon gets perhaps more calcified and less malleable, so there's a lot of stuff you cannot do,' she said. She added, 'I used to be able to tap dance. I can't really tap dance anymore. The sad thing is I've got a facility for learning things quickly, but then I have a sort of physical dementia and I forget it.'
Other News: Royal Stamp Collection Job, Demi Moore's Cannes Payday, Springwatch Tensions, Sting's Matchmaking, Lords Retirements, and Matthew Rhys's Ghostly Encounter
In other news, the Royal Philatelic Collection, valued at over £100 million, is seeking a senior curator based at Buckingham Palace, with a salary of £45,000 per year. Demi Moore reportedly earned over £500,000 from Chopard to wear its jewellery at the Cannes film festival, despite serving as an unpaid jury member. Springwatch co-presenter Michaela Strachan revealed heated debates with Chris Packham, describing their dynamic as 'fractious at times.' Sting encouraged actor Justin Theroux to propose to Nicole Brydon Bloom during a stay at his Tuscan villa, with the couple later marrying in Mexico. Labour grandees Lord Christopher, aged 101, and Lord Irvine have retired from the House of Lords. Finally, actor Matthew Rhys recounted a ghostly tap on the shoulder during a stay at Gwydir Castle in Wales.
