Santa Barbara

Cate Blanchett can only be described as gorgeous, gracious, well, really a host of other adjectives. And she's funny, and smart. And stunning when pregnant.
When she sat on stage to review and discuss the body of work that has given her the title of Modern Master, it was a chance for the hundreds in attendance, braving the Saturday night rain, to sit with Cate for two hours and get a glimpse of the person behind the on-screen persona, or the plethora of compelling characters. One of the remarkable things about Cate's career is how prolific it has been, in 11 years, with a long list of film titles, most recently as an incarnation of Bob Dylan in I'm Not There. When interviewer Leonard Maltin asked her how motherhood (her new arrival will be her third), she commented that she has to be more efficient with her time, and she's noticed that what she used to think was preparation was really anxiety.

Her body language betrayed a bit of anxiety as she watched each clip before quickly regaing her exposure to talk, for instance, about what it was like to have to shove Dame Judi Dench into a bookshelf in a pivotal scene in Notes on a Scandal. Intimidating, to be sure. Fortunately, Dench was wearing a "Ninja Turtle" on her back. All the better to shove her into the bookshelf.

Upon receiving her award, Cate paid a moving tribute to the recently-deceased Heath Ledger, thanked those that believed in her, and left us all with a bit of that regal magic she so easily displays. Cate Blanchett on the Red CarpetI'm Not There Director Todd Haynes being interviewed at the Cate Blanchett Modern Master Award Ceremony