BeatBoxBetty Interviews Cate Blanchett of The Gift

Written by BeatBoxBetty
January 2001

Ask any actor (or waiter in L.A.) who their favorite actress is, and your bound to hear CATE BLANCHETT's name pop up. She's beautiful. She's talented. And the girl can act.

From her passionate-to-pale portrayal of a Queen in "Elizabeth" to her New Jersey housewife in "Pushing Tin" - this Aussie's quickly becoming one of the most respected women in Hollywood.

And now she's back in the small town thriller "The Gift", co-starring Keanu Reeves, Greg Kinear and Hilary Swank. Want to know more? Scroll on and read Betty's interview with this amazing actress!

Photo by Christina Radish

Cate Blanchett stars in "The Gift"
Photo © Paramount Classics

BETTY: If you had your choice, what kind of gift or power would you like to possess?
CATE: Well, since I'm not sleeping particularly well at the moment, I'd really like to be able to cure insomnia.

BETTY: I heard Valerian Root was good for that sort of thing...they say it's like Valium.
CATE: Hmm, but why not just take Valium? [Laughs]

BETTY: What would be the best gift to give you?
CATE: I'd really like to have the doggie passport scheme to come in really quickly. So dogs could travel between countries. My dogs right now are in England.

BETTY: Any other gifts you'd like to have?
CATE: Actually, I'd like to go back in time and ask the people who patented and sold about 131 human genes - what the moral reasoning and value of that is. I'd ask that question.

BETTY: Good one! Hey, I saw that Billy Bob Thornton actually co-wrote the script for "The Gift" - did you get to see much of him on set?
CATE: I didn't actually get to see him for the entire shoot, but I did speak to him on the second to last day - because he said he was going to do "Bandits" and he asked if I'd do it as well. I said, 'Yeah. I'll do it.'

Blanchett basking in "Elizabeth"

Cate's next role? Opposite Giovanni Ribisi in "Heaven"

BETTY: Can you tell us about "Bandits"?
CATE: It's fantastic. I guess it's a romantic comedy. It's about these two bank robbers and a woman who she forces them to take her hostage - and she falls in love with both of them - so it's like a menage-a-trois.

BETTY: The big buzz is all about "The Lord of The Rings" trilogy, in which you play Queen of the Elves. Was it difficult to work in a language that doesn't really exist?
CATE: Sure. You're creating a universe that doesn't exist so it's difficult. I mean, how do elves speak if they don't exist? There are to my astonishment, "Elvish experts" that speak fluent Elvish. It's sort of like Welsh and a melange of various Celtic languages.

BETTY: What's the difference between working on a small film like "The Gift" compared to working on a bigger studio flick like "Bandits"?
CATE: Well, there's a lot more trailers on "Bandits" then there were for "The Gift", that's for sure. My trailer's bigger. And I've got a DVD player and a cappuccino machine!

Betty: That just means you've arrived here in Hollywood, Cate. Now you're supposed to become demanding, obnoxious and a drug addict!

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