Academy Award winner Cate Blanchett would prefer if the biggest nights in Hollywood were kept within the industry.
Blanchett said during Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang‘s “Las Culturistas” podcast that she would prefer to go “back to the day” when awards shows weren’t televised to the public. That way, those nominated and attending could instead focus on being part of a “great party” and not dealing with photographers and lip readers on social media.
“There’s so few spaces that you can go now where you are private,” Blanchett said. “That’s what I loved about the late ’80s, going to all of the dance parties in Sydney for Mardi Gras. People were just there. They were so present, you know, they were just together, collectively, having a great time. It was non-aggressive. No one was being recorded. No one cared what anyone did.”
The “Black Bag” and “Disclaimer” star continued, “I mean, I say, I know it’s blasphemy, go back to the day when it wasn’t televised. Bring that back and just have a great party where people can just let go. I mean, the industry is so scattered and at such a point…which I think potentially could be exciting or could really be depressing, but it’s at a pivot point, and so we need to gather together and celebrate what it is that we do, without it having to have any public-facing. I mean, the fashion is great, and all of that stuff. We’ll find out in the end who won or who didn’t win. But it would be so nice that that happened behind closed doors. Absolutely a very different evening.”
As for the so-called “lip readers” online that try to decipher what stars are saying to each other at these ceremonies, Blanchett doubted their accuracy. “That’s really, what? I mean, do something. Learn Ikebana or something, like a skill that’s actually beautiful,” Blanchett said.
Blanchett won the best supporting actress Oscar in 2005 for “The Aviator” and best lead actress in 2014 for “Blue Jasmine.” She also was nominated for six other Oscars.
The first televised Oscars ceremony was the 25th ceremony in 1953. The 2025 Academy Awards were streaming live for the first time on ABC and Hulu.
