The recipient of many awards in her career, acting legend Cate Blanchett has made it clear she’s over the structure behind such accolades.
After winning Best Actress at the Critics’ Choice Awards in Los Angeles for her role in Tár on Sunday night, Blanchett used her acceptance speech to call out the “patriarchal pyramid” of awards.
She accused the awards industry of nurturing a “televised horse race”.
“I would love it if we would just change this whole f***ing structure,” she said. “It’s like what is this patriarchal pyramid where someone stands up here. Why don’t we just say there was a whole raft of female performances that are in concert and in dialogue with one another?”
“Can I tell you every single woman with a television, film, advertising, tampon commercials, whatever, you’re all out there doing amazing work that is inspiring me continually. Thank you I share this with you all.”
Blanchett’s speech has being praised online, while others are calling it ‘tone-deaf’.
One user wrote: “Well, that speech made me not want to see Cate Blanchett win the Oscar, give it to Michelle Yeoh, who probably won’t sh*t on her own awards while getting it.”
Another remarked: “White actresses are so greedy, Cate Blanchett is no exception, she campaigns, gives a speech belittling others and all to win a third Oscar. Non-white actresses have been waiting for more than a hundred years to be recognized.”
Many commended the speech however, with one saying: “It’s been almost 10 years now that Cate Blanchett dedicates every speech or interview during awards season to highlight other people’s work. Streep does that too. They seem kind of done with awards.”
Blanchett began her speech in a relaxed comedic tone, revealing to audiences that she had gum in her mouth:
“I really didn’t expect to be standing here,” she said. “This is actually the second award of the evening: Julia Roberts, earlier, presented me with a bottle of mouthwash. So thank you, Julia. This is a poor second.”
“I can’t believe I’m up here, this is ridiculous,” she continued. “I’m so old!”
The two-time Oscar winner was competing in a category alongside Viola Davis (The Woman King), Michelle Yeoh (Everything Everywhere All at Once) Danielle Deadwyler (Till), Margot Robbie (Babylon), and Michelle Williams (The Fabelmans).
Last week, Blanchett took home the Golden Globe for her role in the same film, where she plays Lydia Tár, a world-renowned female conductor who comes under fire when allegations of sexual assault against her are exposed.