Cate Blanchett Reveals How She Helped ‘Conflict-Averse’ Director Todd Haynes During Challenging Scene in Carol

Cate Blanchett Reveals How She Helped ‘Conflict-Averse’ Director Todd Haynes During Challenging Scene in Carol

At the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) on Sunday, Cate Blanchett shared insights into the collaborative process with director Todd Haynes while working on the critically acclaimed film Carol.

During a Q&A session about her career and upcoming projects, including the Apple TV+ series Disclaimer and the film Rumours, the Oscar-winning actress discussed the dynamics between actors and directors, emphasizing the importance of creating a supportive environment for filmmakers.

Blanchett recounted a particularly challenging scene from Carol, the 2015 Oscar-nominated drama in which she stars as a woman who falls in love with another woman (Rooney Mara) in 1952 New York City. She described how the production faced difficulties due to the challenging lighting conditions in the house where they were shooting.

“One night, we were working in this strange, abandoned house that was tough for Ed [Lachman] to light properly,” Blanchett said. “You could tell Todd [Haynes] was struggling with it.”

Blanchett explained that even experienced directors need support and encouragement. “You expect a director to have everything together all the time. Sometimes they’re the ones that need a hug. You need to suggest, ‘Why don’t you step away and clear your head a little bit?'” She noted that just as directors create space for actors to perform, actors should also create space for directors to regain their focus.

Haynes took Blanchett’s advice and stepped away to reassess the scene, leading to a successful resolution. Blanchett emphasized that while Haynes is known to be “conflict-averse,” it’s crucial to engage in respectful disagreement to achieve the best results. “Polite disagreement is super important in the creative process,” she said. “You know you have a healthy relationship with someone when you can argue for things but remain open to changing your mind.”

Entertainment Weekly has reached out to Haynes for his comment on Blanchett’s remarks.

The collaboration between Blanchett and Haynes paid off, as Carol, adapted from Patricia Highsmith’s novel The Price of Salt, received widespread acclaim and six Academy Award nominations, including nods for both Blanchett and Mara. The film also competed for the Palme d’Or at Cannes, where Mara won Best Actress.

During her TIFF appearance, Blanchett also humorously addressed the clips of her past performances shown during the event, including scenes from The Aviator and Elizabeth: The Golden Age. “Is there a barf bucket?” she joked, before playfully embracing the camp of her Elizabeth costume. “I keep waiting for RuPaul to ask me to go on Drag Race,” she added with a laugh.

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