Interview with Cate Blanchett

[Video Chat with Cate Blanchett]

This is possibly THE most exciting interview I have ever done for this blog. 😀 I got to pose my questions to award-winning actress, Cate Blanchett, via video chat! She was backstage at the Sydney Theatre Company when I got to virtually meet her. I think she is an extraordinarily beautiful and talented woman. Even in a low-res photo, she looks stunning, right? And, by the way, that’s me in the tiny corner at the bottom right. 😀

[Sidenote: Cate Blanchett is an SK-II Ambassador. In fact, she was a passionate user of SK-II products before joining them as an Ambassador! She even joked, in this video chat, that she cannot live without the Facial Treatment Essence and “would drink it if I could”]

Why is this blogpost scheduled for 14th May? Because it is Cate’s birthday! 🙂

I had so many questions for this very talented actress, but so little time with her. I’ve watched her in films such as The Hobbit and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. And I particularly loved her role as Lady Galadriel in the Lord of the Rings series:

Such breathtaking beauty! So I just had to ask…

1) What do you think makes a woman beautiful?

Someone who is generous, engaged, not so conscious about herself.

A friend from drama school had a father who was a painter. He did not like painting women who wore too much makeup. He said it masks the light behind their skin.

A beautiful woman is not conventional, not airbrushed.

2) Most women in their 20s are self-conscious and care (too much) about what people think about them. Some get over this by age 30. What is it like to be 40?

As you get wiser, you look outward. You are no longer self-obsessed. You take the focus off of yourself.

I spend a lot less time thinking about how I look now.

The first signs of ageing appear in your late 20s. Don’t panic. It is a natural and exciting part of evolving. And you are in control.

3) What is the #1 activity you like doing?

Absolutely doing nothing! 😀 I like lying on my bed with a mask on, and reading a book.

I’ve been very busy with a film lately. So, if you were to ask me what I love doing: nothing!

4) There is a scene in Blue Jasmine in which you seem to have hardly any makeup on. What sort of preparation or products did you use?

Jasmine has put on so many masks that I wanted her completely stripped bare.

I have been using SK-II products for 11 years so my skin is relatively even-toned and that helped.

I wanted to have zero makeup on as I felt it was the right thing for the character’s internal state and for exploring the inner life of the character.

5) What is your beauty routine for red-carpet events?

Red carpet events are when you are under more scrutiny. I use an FTE mask or a whitening mask. Whitening products were initially not available in the West but they help make skin more luminous.

I keep my eyemasks in the freezer. The cold not only wakes you up but also reduces any swelling and helps infuse the product more deeply.

I have a little vial of the FTE in a small spray bottle so if I’m having a long night, I do not have to reapply makeup and can just spray it on to keep my makeup looking fresh.

Other must-have products are in the rebooted LXP range. The LXP essence, the serum. I use the moisturizer day and night. It comes with SPF but I also apply sunscreen.

~

And that is all the time I had with Cate.

I hope you have enjoyed reading about this interview as much as I have loved speaking with Cate. 🙂