Cate Blanchett is on the cover of the February 2025 issue of Harper’s Bazaar España which is out on newsstands today. She talks about her relationship with Giorgio Armani Beauty, her new series DISCLAIMER*, and the upcoming film FATHER, MOTHER, BROTHER, SISTER.

DISCLAIMER* has been nominated in both American Society of Cinematographers and British Society of Cinematographers.

Interview below is Google translated from Spanish to English.

CATE BLANCHETT contours her body with theatricality of her being. She squints and walks around the studio completely barefoot, as if the cold of London on this sweltering November morning had nothing to do with her. When she smiles, a giant smile that takes up her entire face, you sense that everything is going to be okay. There is something wild and hypnotic about the appearance of this unique Australian who stands out as one of the most influential women in the film industry. “I grew up on the border between the countryside and the city. I was raised by a single mother who had to work, so I lived in my area. On weekends I left home in the morning and came back at six for dinner, I went on adventures with the neighbours or with my dog on a bicycle. I remember an incredible feeling of freedom,” she will tell me later. And it will all make sense In the age of immediacy, a time when nothing lasts, Cate stands out as the star who leaves her mark. Her brave statements, her transcendent appearances on the red carpet and an incontestable ability to turn acting into art have made her the actress and producer that everyone wants.

In 2024, she reached another milestone by being awarded the Donostia Award at the 72nd edition of the San Sebastian Festival . A recognition that made her especially excited, since the other actor awarded that same year was Javier Bardem, “whom I deeply admire,” she then granted to this magazine.

– These days, everyone is talking about you because of your role in the psychological thriller Disclaimer (Apple TV+), a series that is making waves. In it you play a renowned journalist who is forced to confront her dark past. Did you expect this reaction from the audience?

– I knew from the beginning that it was going to be provocative and polarizing, because it is increasingly clear that there are many wars in the world, but one of those that is taking place is the war of narratives, the battle for a singular truth and who gets to control it. And that is, to a large extent, what Alfonso Cuarón plays with as a director and screenwriter. It has been fascinating to observe the conversation around it.

In person, our protagonist is even more imposing and charismatic. It is not for nothing that she is considered one of the most elegant women in the world and has been an ambassador for Giorgio Armani Beauty for the past decade: Tall, although at first her presence can be intimidating. But her empathetic character and brilliant point of view make everything go away. “I’m ready for action. I feel like I have plenty of energy,” she proclaims. It seems that Cate never rests. In addition to being one of the most prolific actresses of her generation, she runs the film and television production company Dirty Films with her husband, the playwright Andrew Upton. She is a global goodwill ambassador for UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and a life member of the Australian Conservation Foundation.

She presented the experimental film Rumours at the end of last year. In 2025, she has several releases pending, including Father, Mother, Sister, Brother by cult filmmaker Jim Jarmusch. “Getting back together with Jim was a wonderful experience. In this work she simultaneously explores being a sister, daughter and mother, all these relationships that are often absurd and painful. In addition, I was able to work with Charlotte Rampling and Vicky Krieps, two actresses that I adore,” she says. However, until she starts rehearsals in January for the play The Seagull directed by Thomas Ostermeier, to be performed at the Barbican Theatre in London, she has decided to take a break from filming. “I feel that there are many things going on in the world that require attention, far from the mere act of acting. I am supporting the work of others and also staying very focused on my role with UNHCR. My main mission at the moment is to try to stay calm and keep moving forward,” she says.

Committed and passionate, she is deeply involved in everything she does. After each photo, she studies the change of look with the stylist. She has even brought a few pieces from her own wardrobe signed by Armani, At the end of the session, she has an event at a charity foundation, so as soon as she has a free moment, we catch her thoroughly going over her speech.

For her, acting is an extension of being alive. The daughter of a father who works in advertisement (who died suddenly when she was just a child) and a teacher mother, she never thought of acting as a way to make a living. “It seemed like a game to me, a natural thing for children to do. Then I went to university and did finance and economics thinking I would find a real job. But I kept doing it instead of studying. So it happened organically instead of me choosing. In a way, I tried to run away from it, but it kept haunting me,” she says.

Far from pigeonholing herself, the Australian has proven herself in all kinds of films and genres. From major productions to independent films; from fantasy to drama to romantic comedy. The proof of her extraordinary talent is recorded in such iconic titles as The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, The Aviator, Blue Jasmine, Notes of a Scandal and The Lord of the Rings trilogy.

– What kind of projects do you feel most comfortable with? When you work, do you prefer to step out of your comfort zone?

– For the last few years, I’ve been diving into ice-cold water every morning and I love it, but every day it seems impossible. I don’t want to do it, although once I get in, I’m there and I’m present. And when I get out I’m so glad I did it. My relationship with acting is a bit like that. I always feel like I’m slightly out of my comfort zone.

– Do you believe in luck?

– Absolutely. I know a lot of incredibly creative people who haven’t found anyone who’s given them that opportunity. I’ve often been in the right place at the right time and that has nothing to do with who I am as a human being. But I also suppose that sometimes I’ve had the ability to spot an opportunity and I’ve taken advantage of it.

– Have you ever thought about giving up?

– For me, giving up contains a quality of surrender. And I think that giving yourself to a project is the place from which you have to start every time. I always give up because I always work with people who are much more talented and creative. And the project has to be bigger than you. But giving up is not in my plans. These times demand courage and resilience.

– Your collaboration with Giorgio Armani Beauty is one of the strongest between mass and brand. Why have you remained faithful to the face for so many years?

– All my life I have been connected to his aesthetic and vision. Giorgio Armani is a creative force that has truly stood the test of time. He has been able to expand his empire without ever diluting his essence, effortlessly elegant and authentic. It is about the grace and dignity with which he carries himself, but also about his curiosity. The people I find most beautiful have this intense curiosity about everything around them and a lack of egocentrism, which is increasingly rare to find.

A decade ago, the actress and her family made the decision to move from the city for the English countryside, where they currently reside. “The world is too noisy a place. But I’m lucky to be in touch with the energy of a city,” she says. Cate and her husband Andrew Upton have four children, Dashiell John, Roman Robert, and Ignatius Martin, and Edith Vivian Patricia.  The actress is devoted to them, but even on this matter she has an opinion that escapes any cliché. “I love my children. Motherhood is a vital part of who I am, but it is not all that I am. I think there are many people who are a mother to communities in the workplace. It is equality, it is a sense of care, respect and upbringing. If we all developed a greater sense of motherhood, in the best possible way, men and women, the world would be a better place,” she declares.

Her speech is so powerful that you could spend hours talking to her, but we have to say goodbye. Of course, not without first confessing that I was also moved by the surprise message that George Clooney dedicated to her at the San Sebastian Festival. Would she have gotten this far without the support of her unconditional fans? “Not at all. Society values individual achievements, but real success, deep success, is always the result of a collective effort. For me, the consideration, constructive criticism and support of the people I love and admire have been crucial and will continue to be one hundred percent,” she says with that enormous smile full of great hope.

Source: Harper’s Bazaar Spain, ASC, BSC