Hollywood
Cate Blanchett hides under the table to avoid bit at Independent Spirit Awards
The actress refused to take part in goofy face bit after being approached by the award show’s host.
Cate Blanchett refused to take part in a goofy face bit at the 2023 Film Independent Spirit Awards.
Taking place at the Santa Monica Pier on Saturday, the host Hasan Minhaj was attempting to deliver a joke about “clickbait-y thumbnail photos” on youtube. He walked over to Blanchett seated in the crowd and asked her to make some “unhinged expressions” for the cameras, which were streaming live to Youtube.
Hiding under the table
The ‘Tár’ star instead just covered her face and laughed before ducking under the table and soon crawling out to escape the camera crew. Minhaj who was temporarily speechless watched Blanchett crawl away.
He asked “Is she coming out the other end?” to the remainder of the guests seated at the table. Soon after he asked ‘Tár’ director Todd Field to do the same bit.
Field followed Blanchetts’ lead and hid under the table as well.
“Alright, do we have anyone else?” Minhaj said while looking around at the neighboring tables. “Marisa Tomei, let’s do a thumbnail face!”
However, Tomei was also inspired by Blanchett and crawled under the table as well. Next up was Regina Hall, who unsurprisingly ducked under the table too.
Minhaj looked around one last more before saying, “I don’t know any of these people,” and then laughed as he admitted his defeat and moved on to introduce the next presenter.
Is it a bit?
After the clip of the entire incident was posted to Twitter, fans began to theorize if the entire thing was a bit, or if Minhaj won the award for the most unsuccessful joke of the night.
One commenter replied, “I’m almost not sure if it’s a bit or not, because Cate seems like such a good sport about even stupid things like this. If not, yikes, Hasan really *is* bombing”
Another reply reads, “They all are excellent actors because this was clearly a bit. Right?”