Cate Blanchett may have won the best actress Critics' Choice Award for her role in Tár, but it's looking like her acceptance speech could have earned her another (if there was a best speech category)!
The Australian actor was nominated for, and eventually won, best actress for her role in Tár, a movie following the downfall of fictional musician and composer Lydia Tár. Blanchett also took home the best actress award at the Golden Globes just last week. Interestingly, the movie has somewhat flopped at the box office, only bringing in $6 million out of a projected $35 million, per The New York Times.
However, 53-year-old Blanchett is going viral following last weekend's Critics' Choice Awards, though, not for the reason you'd expect. The actress - who is already a two-time Oscar winner - seemed to make a passionate plea regarding the "patriarchal pyramid" of awards ceremonies, according to News.com.au.
The speech began with Blanchett criticizing the 'best actress' category, as she stated that it was an "arbitrary" term "considering how many extraordinary performances" were done by women last year.
"I've got gum in my mouth. I really didn't expect to be standing here [...] This is actually the second award of the evening: Julia Roberts, earlier, presented me with a bottle of mouthwash. So thank you, Julia. This is a poor second," Blanchett had joked (via PEOPLE).
"I can't believe I'm up here. This is ridiculous, I'm so old!", the actress continued. The mom-of-three then decided to give some words of advice for future awards ceremonies, saying: "I would love it if we would just change this whole f***ing structure. It's like what is this patriarchal pyramid where someone stands up here.
"Why don't we just say there was a whole raft of female performances that are in concert and in dialogue with one another? And stop the televised horse race of it all. Because, can I tell you, every single woman with a television, film, advertising, tampon commercials - whatever - you're all out there doing amazing work that is inspiring me continually. So thank you. I share this with you all," the Lord of the Rings actress added.
Many people took to social media to praise Blanchett, with one Twitter user writing: "cate blanchett called for the complete dissolution of the hollywood awards season horserace in her [Critics' Choice Award] speech and it was magnificent [sic]."
While another added: "I love Cate Blanchett so much. What a performance. What a speech. Still think Yeoh wins at SAG and the Oscars!"
Others, however, didn't seem so enthused. One person felt that it was getting obvious that actresses such as Blanchett were "done with awards," tweeting: "It’s been almost 10 years now that Cate Blanchett dedicates every speech or interview during awards season to highlight other people's work. Streep does that too. They seem kind of done with awards."
"Tone deaf speech from cate blanchett," someone else added.
Other best actress nominees from the evening included Viola Davis for The Woman King, Danielle Deadwyler for Till, Margot Robbie for Babylon, Michelle Williams for The Fabelmans, and Michelle Yeoh for Everything Everywhere All At Once.