By virtue of appearing here in the middle of the day (night? What time is it?), Cate Blanchett is neither mine nor Lainey’s Best Dressed of the night. Which is kind of bizarre, because this dress is utterly fantastic. It’s Mary Katranzou, one of my all-time favourites, but not a real red carpet staple – which is unfortunate, but not a surprise. How many people would dare to do this dress, and pull it off so perfectly?
There’s so much to look at, and so many ways it could have gone wrong and didn’t. The piece-y bejeweled bodice fits like it was precision-engineered, and the pleated chiffon has those striated colours in it. I’ve stared at it for the longest time and I’m completely not done.
We didn’t expressly discuss it, but I think part of the reason neither of us chose Cate as the best of the night is kind of unspoken but obvious – she’s like the Zendaya of her branch of Hollywood actresses. She’s operating at a fashion level so much higher than almost everyone else that it’s comical to even compare, because her worst outfit (not that I can even think of one that comes to mind) is so many, many levels above most of the other dresses in contention. Can you even imagine Jennifer Aniston in something like this? Are you cracking up at the face she would make if a stylist brought it to her?
The other reason, though, is that calling Cate Blanchett best dressed, or even most interestingly/ creatively dressed, is way, way too narrow a role for her in terms of someone we like to see – I’m tired of it being the only conversation about her at these events and I wonder if she is too.
Every time she’s interviewed on a carpet, or even in a junket, she’s amusing and easy and so much fun. She’s quick but not prickly, and she comes off as both interesting and, more importantly, interested in the people an events around her – which is a real rarity for a celebrity. I always want more, and never seem to get it. How come she doesn’t get to do the fun, banter-y bits on these shows? Just because we like to look at her dresses? For that matter, why is she not hosting? I heard some of you just gasp involuntarily, but I would love to see Cate, on a non-nominated year, get to play with some comedy bits or tease people in the audience. Maybe even a taped piece? Hell, if it’s the Golden Globes, have two hosts! Cate takes the lead on the TV categories while, say… I don’t know, Christina Hendricks or Issa Rae or someone covers the movie categories.
It’s not so crazy, and it’s not a demotion to do it! You know that, like a Sandra Bullock, she could handle it without breaking a sweat and she’d probably welcome the break in what I’m sure is boredom, after so many years of sitting in the same theatre year in and year out.
I await my phone call from the Academy and/or Cate Blanchett’s production company, and I think this is just the beginning. You guys… what if she co-hosted the Tonys? In her aforementioned amazing outfits?
I just got shivers.
