Cate Blanchett’s childhood has never been the same since her father passed away from a heart attack when she was only 10 years old. The Australian star admitted she found solace amid her grief when she spotted Alan Alda on television.
According to Blanchett, the actor has a striking resemblance to her late father. While she thought this was helpful to her healing process, meeting the actor in person was a lot more comforting for her.
Cate Blanchett Reveals Alan Alda Resembled Her Late Father
During her conversation with The Guardian, Ocean’s 8 star Cate Blanchett discussed about the warped reality of people assuming they know celebrities because they see their faces on the TV screen. She stated:
“I used to think it was more profoundly felt in TV, because you’re in someone’s home, performing for them in their living room. But now film comes in just as close. People will probably watch Carol on their mobile phone. I’m probably going to be in someone’s pocket. Which is deeply intimate.”
Suddenly, she recalled a memory from the past that was very dear to her. Blanchett shared the time she thought actor Alan Alda was her father just because they looked alike. The actress further said:
“It was the same for me with Alan Alda in M*A*S*H. My father died when I was young. And Alan Alda looked just like my father. And I would watch it five days a week, just to imbibe him and say hello. So when I eventually met him, my God, he must have thought I was some sort of mad person. I ran up to him as though I was seeing my dad.”
Blanchett admitted it was a pretty dark time in her life as her family endured the loss. Her grandmother later moved in to help them deal with the crisis.
Cate Blanchett Almost Starred In A Boxing Film
Cate Blanchett found a way to escape her sorrow by trying to enter the movie industry. The start of her career was not fancy at all, and there was a rumor that she debuted in a boxing movie. At the time, she was living in Egypt for a gap year. She told The Guardian:
“I was in this fleapit in Cairo, which has probably long since burned down, called the Oxford hotel. They printed passports and money in the foyer. And this random Scottish guy came up and said they were looking for English-speaking extras, and that I’d get paid five Egyptian pounds and a falafel.”
She was sort of broke at the time which made her agree to the offer, but later realized she did not enjoy it. Blanchett revealed:
“At the time, I didn’t have enough money to pay my room for the week. I went along, and there was an Arabic guy with a megaphone, like something out of a silent movie, and it was so hot and so boring that I left.”
Indeed, the actress never starred in the said boxing film, but she ended up making a name for herself in Hollywood. Despite the tragic loss of her father, she found temporary comfort that eventually led her to where she is now.
