At least, that’s the impression the world premiere in Wellington yesterday gives. The red carpet was over 500 yards, running the length of several city blocks, and the crowd was estimated at 100,000. The cast arrived earlier in the week in a plane plastered with the faces of hobbits and dwarves, there was a “hobbit artisanal market” in downtown Wellington in the days before the premiere and thousands of people actually went there; the airport now has a giant Gollum sculpture Full Story

As I wrote last week, I am really, really enjoying seeing Christian Bale working on a movie where he can resemble himself, at least physically - no weight loss or gain, no mask, no period costumes, in modern street clothes without any transformational assistance to get into character. Here he is with Cate Blanchett yesterday in LA working on Terrence Malick’s Knight Of Cups. Full Story

Sorry.I’m not saying it sucks. I’m not saying it’s Paula Patton. But by Cate Blanchett standards, I am underwhelmed. It’s fitted black with a high collar and another f-cking feathered skirt. And it’s McQueen. It has to be the tamest, most restrained McQueen in the collection. Check back on Florence Welch for comparison here Full Story

Cate Blanchett and husband Andrew Upton were spotted today on holiday in Paris with their sons Dashiell, Roman, and Ignatius. They hit up the Louvre, walked around the Tuileries, and I really love that even Cate Blanchett makes her boys pose for photos when they don’t want to because, at this age, they don’t give a sh-t. Full Story

I am fond of old romantic movies, which may be surprising, since my heart is made of roofing tar and ashes. But I do love them, I really do. To Have and Have Not, Love in the Afternoon, Roman Holiday, To Catch a Thief, Bringing up Baby, His Girl Friday, and my all-time favorite, The Thin Man. When I was a kid, I wanted to grow up to be Nora Charles, the smart, sarcastic heroine played by Myrna Loy. Full Story

Tropfest happened in Australia this past weekend. It’s the biggest short film festival in the world. On the judges panel this year: three Oscar winners - Cate Blanchett, Nicole Kidman, and Geoffrey Rush - and Toni Collette, Oscar nominee and Emmy and Golden Globe Awards recipient. Total amateurs, right? God I love it so much that Cate and Geoffrey especially give back so often and so happily to their local arts community. Full Story

With cameos by Angelina Jolie and Gwyneth Paltrow!Here’s the next in our series of Oscar memories. The first was Reese Witherspoon last week - click here if you missed it. Now...it’s time for the incomparable Cate Blanchett. Sit back and enjoy. She’s flawless. Full Story

What comes next? Who do you name? Winslet? Firth? Hanks? Jodie Foster? Would you ever, EVER!!!!!! suggest Scarlett Johansson to round out that series?Daniel Day-Lewis, Cate Blanchett… And SCARLETT JOHANSSON???Scarjo was interviewed by USA Today for We Bought A Zoo where she expressed her disdain for the term “Scarjo”. Full Story

It’s Haute Couture Week in Paris. Cate Blanchett and Katie Holmes were front row, alongside Roberta Armani today at the Giorgio Armani Prive presentation. As you know, Cate has long enjoyed a close friendship with Mr Armani. And of course Mr Armani designed KatE’s wedding dress. So Cate flew in from Australia where she’s been spending most of her time these days to support the designer. Full Story

Written by Sarah I was kind of talking myself out of believing that the dead will really rise against us one day, but then I spoke to someone on The Walking Dead about how they plan to unravel how the zombie plague started and damn if it didn’t sound totally plausible. Full Story

We live in a world of sh-ttalking sh-ttalkers. And if you don’t know what I’m talking about, I’m actually not sure why you’re reading this on my sh-ttalking blog. Almost anyone can find almost anything to sh-ttalk about any given person, especially celebrities. I have my favourites, you have your favourites, and between us, no one is sh-ttalk free with few exceptions. Full Story

I’m sure I’ll hear it from you on this one. But remember here that we’re talking about Cate Blanchett. Cate Blanchett doesn’t make style decisions with an eye to what someone like, say, Reese Witherspoon would wear on a carpet. In fact, she’d look at something that Reese Witherspoon would wear on a carpet and say “absolutely not”. Full Story

As declared a couple of weeks ago, any time there are new Cate Blanchett photos, they will get posted. Here’s Cate tonight in Sydney with husband Andrew Upton at the Griffin Theatre’s production of Quack, totally unfussy about her hair, and still steezier than everyone, in Australia and beyond, with a crazy jacket I want so badly and purple rimmed glasses that seem to match her husband’s jacket, a little tacky with those stones on the top edge but somehow, it’s Cate, so it works. Full Story

If she shows up somewhere, you post. It’s law. This is Cate Blanchett tonight at the opening of Osage County at the Sydney Theatre. She of course is the Co-Artistic Director of the Sydney Theatre Company with her husband Andrew Upton, a post she has just renewed. I mean...what else would she wear? You also take Cate when you can because for the next while she won’t be around much outside home. Full Story