Australian actress Cate Blanchett called out the televised screening of award shows in her latest award acceptance speech at the Critics Choice Awards.
It is awards season again, and unlike in the past few years, award shows are again held in person and, by extension, televised. The tradition of broadcasting film and television awards dates back to the 1950s, and since then, there have been more than a fair share of fiascos in said ceremonies. When the pandemic hit, there was a halt in TV channels showing awards nights, but now that it has come back in full force, it seems the viewership of these shows has not quite recovered yet. It is all thanks to social media that television channels can no longer gatekeep the award ceremonies, and social networks illicit reactions from the netizens almost immediately after something significant happens on the live coverage.
There have been a couple of controversies surrounding big award-giving bodies like the Golden Globes, which was criticized a year ago and caused NBC to temporarily not air the ceremony for 2022. There was a trend, as well, of supporting advocacies in acceptance speeches, especially for films that tackle social issues like women’s rights. Cate Blanchett seems to be doing the same thing in this Critics Choice Awards.
Blanchett won the Best Actress category for her performance in the film “Tar.” She is also set to possibly win her third Academy Award for the same role. However, in her acceptance piece, Cate said she did not expect to win and called award shows a “patriarchal pyramid”. She did not elaborate on what was patriarchal about the ceremonies. However, the actress mentioned all the other nominees and the women behind the cameras.
“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.” Blanchett said on stage.
Later in the evening, the actress clarified that she wanted to salute all the women behind every film in her speech. “No one stands up there with one of these without a whole army of people making the film… and I think there’s a different way of celebrating performances.” She also commented on the televised nature of award shows creating a spectacle out of all in attendance. There are hardworking people behind and on film, and they are the entertainment on these shows. That was what she meant by “the televised horse race of it all.”
Blanchett echoes what critics say about the decline of viewership in awards night broadcasts. However, major television networks have always had the tradition of these broadcasts during awards season. They have invested money and signed deals with award-giving bodies that it might get tricky not to show them on TV at all. But with the rise of social media, Cate Blanchett may soon have her wish in the coming years—to stop the “televised horse race” of award shows.