Movies

Cate Blanchett takes swipe at Donald Trump’s controversial plan to slap 100% tariffs on films made outside the United States

BBG News

Actress Cate Blanchett criticized Donald Trump’s proposed 100% tariff on foreign-made movies, stating that Hollywood represents a diverse mix or “chimera” of various cultures and nationalities.

The acclaimed actress who won an Oscar, at the age of 56, disclosed a surprising fact about her career: Despite being highly sought-after, she scarcely filmed in the United States over the span of her 30-year acting journey.

Over the weekend, while speaking at the National Portrait Gallery in London, Cate emphasized the importance of multiculturalism in the success and vitality of filmmaking.

Actress Cate Blanchett, known for her role in Blue Jasmine and residing in the UK with her screenwriter spouse Andrew Upton, stated emphatically that “Hollywood, in its essence, is a mirage.

I haven’t spent many days working on U.S. soil, a fact that can be illustrated by counting my experiences on one hand. Typically, such circumstances lead to travel outside the country.

She mentioned that her groundbreaking role as Queen Elizabeth I in the 1998 film was a mix of various ethnic backgrounds.

As a film enthusiast, I can share that I recently learned about the making of a film where Queen Elizabeth was portrayed by an Australian actress named Cate. This production was overseen by a director hailing from Bollywood, Shekhar Kapur. The cinematography for this movie took place in the United Kingdom. So, it’s fascinating to see how diverse talent and locations come together to create films in our reality.

Her remarks were made a month following the U.S. President’s declaration of intentions to implement high taxes on foreign-produced movies as part of an effort to “reinvent Hollywood.

The action that created ripples across the global cinema sector, stirring concerns about the future prospects of worldwide cooperation.

Cate, an American citizen, clarified that her artistic allegiances have never been influenced by geographical boundaries.

She mentioned that she gave equal consideration to the Chinese, Indian, and Hollywood film industries. Growing up in Australia, she found its cultural impact on film to be just as significant, despite its smaller size.

The actress, serving as a UNHCR goodwill ambassador, expressed that working globally has consistently held an allure for her, noting casually: “If given the opportunity to journey through different cultures and work there, why would one refuse?

Despite achieving significant success in the movie industry as a mother of four, she openly acknowledged that she never aimed to be an actor initially. In fact, she deliberately sought to suppress her acting inclinations.

In her own words, Cate admitted, “I made every effort to avoid it. Initially, I arrived in the UK with dreams of restoration work. However, my studies focused on economics and fine art, believing it would lead to a stable career.

However, I continued practicing, and ultimately, I enrolled in a drama school with the hope of overcoming it. Yet, despite my efforts, it remained a constant presence.

OR

Initially, I didn’t stop performing, and eventually, I decided to attend drama school as a way to shake off this issue. However, it continued to linger.

Even though she has had many years of accomplishments, she admitted that her nerves persist whenever she takes on a new position, and it’s often her husband who bears the brunt of her anxiety.

Or:

Though she has enjoyed decades of success, she confessed that her anxiety resurfaces when starting a fresh role, with the burden frequently falling on her husband.

She quipped: “Before embarking on any role, I usually wake up my husband around 3:30 or 4 am and ask, ‘What should be my approach? Could you refresh my memory about my strategy?’

‘After 28 years of marriage, he says, ‘You’ll be fine!’ He no longer converses with me about it.’

Cate mentioned the challenges of fame and internet criticism, confessing: ‘You get used to having a tough exterior. Moreover, you swiftly discover the five individuals whose unyielding, often harsh opinions you actively seek, so you can continue growing. The rest, you must learn to ignore, filtering out the constant background noise.’

However, it shouldn’t be excessively opaque since part of your role as an actor involves allowing others to perceive you, enabling them to look within themselves, ideally.

I was raised during a period where not as many voices were clamoring for attention, yet today’s environment is characterized by numerous opinions, some of which are loud, potentially misinformed, but it’s the reality we face. However, this doesn’t hinder your approach to crafting your work.

Last month, Trump proposed a 100% tax on foreign-made movies, arguing it was necessary to shield the U.S. film industry from a swift demise.

On his Truth Social platform, he stated that movies produced outside of the country pose a risk to National Security. He further explained that this is not only due to their content, but also because they often serve as messages and propaganda.

Let’s encourage movie production in America once more.

The declaration of tariffs left film industry executives perplexed, as Trump provided scant information regarding the specifics of how this tax would be implemented.

As a die-hard film enthusiast, I’m always eager to know the behind-the-scenes details, especially when it comes to international cinema and U.S. tariffs. But here’s the catch: The White House hasn’t shared its methodology on how they evaluate the worth of these global films before slapping a tariff on them. I can’t help but wonder, what criteria are they using?

Despite no definitive decisions regarding foreign movie taxes being announced yet, the Administration is investigating various strategies to fulfill President Trump’s instruction on protecting our nation’s security, both in terms of safety and economy, as part of the mission to revitalize Hollywood once more, according to White House representative Kush Desai.

Many films, regardless of their size, frequently incorporate production in the U.S. and other nations. High-budget movies often get shot across various global locations, as seen with the recent Mission: Impossible – Fallout, which was filmed in Britain, Norway, South Africa, and Malta.

For quite some time now, I’ve noticed how incentive programs have significantly shaped movie locations, gradually steering film production away from California and towards other places offering attractive tax breaks, such as Canada and the United Kingdom.

Nevertheless, tariffs aim to steer consumers towards goods made in America, and a significant majority of homegrown films rule the local market.

As a die-hard enthusiast, I found myself puzzling over whether these new tariffs would encompass both the silver screen and streaming service movies, or if they’d be somehow connected to the film’s budget or box office earnings.

Trump’s post didn’t include any details about if TV shows, a rapidly growing and financially successful area of screen production, might be impacted.

Experts are concerned that Trump’s proposed policies may lead to a decrease in the rate at which streamers can generate new content.

Additionally, there’s the potential for foreign countries imposing reciprocal tariffs on U.S. content, as suggested by Barton Crockett, a Rosenblatt Securities analyst, to Reuters.

‘Raising the cost to produce movies could lead studios to make less content.’ 

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2025-06-23 20:20

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