Cate Blanchett is convinced harsh criticism in her early acting career made her a better performer.
Cate Blanchett is convinced harsh criticism in her early acting career made her a better performer (c) Harper’s Bazaar UK/Photography by Kristian Schuller/Artwork by Es Devlin
The double Oscar-winner, 53, said some of the situations she found herself in on set when she started out were so harsh they would now be a matter for human resources, but she has grown to respect the honesty of the brutal exchanges.
She told the new issue of Harper’s Bazaar UK magazine: “People often talk about left and right, up and down, right and wrong, good and bad. I don’t think in those terms. Art exists in the grey area.
“I have been spoken to in ways that now I could probably go to HR and complain about, but those conversations that were had with me early in my career made me a better actor.
“It’s important we speak honestly with one another.”
Cate also said she is baffled by the modern obsession of people wanting to express their “truth”.
She said it was vital to understand the difference between someone’s “perspective” and the “truth” as she finds the latter concept meaningless.
Cate added: “There’s an exercise you do at drama school, where you write down everything a character says about themselves, and then you write down what every other character says about them.
“Somewhere between those often contrapuntal, contradictory things lies some version of the truth.
“One of the phrases I just cannot say is ‘My truth’.
“I mean, the truth is the truth, isn’t it?
“‘My perspective’ is one thing, but ‘My truth’? I don’t know what it is!”
She added about her acting process: “If I pick up a script, and I can imagine myself (acting in) it, I should put it down and let someone else do it. Because I think the process of making it and, ultimately, the experience of watching it will be thin.
“It’s much more exciting to be outside of your comfort zone.”
The November issue of Harper’s Bazaar UK is on sale from Thursday 6 October.
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