Cate Blanchett: Society needs tough conversations
Cate Blanchett has insisted society "needs" to have "tough conversations" even if people are terrified of airing their views.
Cate Blanchett has insisted society "needs" to have "tough conversations."
The 54-year-old actress thinks "trigger warnings" suggest a lack of "mutual respect" and frank but necessary discussions are vital in every aspect of life, even if people are "terrified" of being candid.
She told Sunday Times Culture magazine: “Culturally we are terrified of tough conversations. Boss to employee. Employee to boss. Friend to friend. But we need them. We talk about radical candour, but when there’s a trigger warning in front of something you are implying that there is a lack of mutual respect or that the subject hasn’t been properly interrogated.”
And Cate found it "thrilling" when her movie 'Tar' - in which she played a famous conductor accused of misconduct - was deemed offensive in some quarters because she isn't interested in "happy agreement" and only positive feedback about her work.
She said: “That was the most thrilling thing. You don’t want a film about which everybody is going to say, ‘Well done.’ When people debate it it’s absolutely thrilling.
"'Tár' was challenging, but travelled on the wave of the audience and not all the conversations were positive. They don’t need to be, just respectful. I don’t want happy agreement.”
Despite her years of success, the 'New Boy' actress believes she is always at risk of "failure" with every new project.
She laughed: "[Films like 'The Good German' were seen by] about two and a half people … Clooney and me, speaking German? And that opening the Berlin Film Festival? Mistake.
"There are films millions see, but then simply move on to the next thing. Some films are a slower burn, but you always have to risk failure — that’s the case with every project.”
The award-winning star feels "irked" when highlights packages of her work are shown.
She explained: “I feel irked. It’s out of context. They’re just bits. Like, ‘Here are the breasts.’ ‘Hands.’ ‘A bunion.’ If you put the whole person together it makes more sense. I find it disconcerting.”
