Cate Blanchett hasn’t always been the demure and perfectly poised star we know her as today. Thanks to late 80s footage of Cate singing on Hey, Hey, It’s Saturday segment Red Faces emerging online, we can now see another side of pre fame Cate.
In a performance by her acoustic duo ‘Kate and Simon’, with the addition of kooky sax player Tal, Blanchett throws herself into a theatrical rendition of a Weird Love Song. Heavily in character, she awkwardly twitches and shuffles on stage, singing obscure lyrics at the top of her lungs.
“If I was a stamp and you were my mail, I’d cling on tight as we travelled, but if you licked my back too much I’d make your tongue go dry.”
Much to the dismay of the group, the dreaded gong sounds just after the completion of the first verse and they are awarded a mere 12 points out of 30. Blanchett stays wholeheartedly in character until she leaves the stage, demanding the return of a previously lent plectrum from the judges.
A couple of years later, Blanchett landed her first major stage role alongside Geoffrey Rush with the Sydney Theatre Company. An important reminder that, if nothing else, if at first you don’t succeed, try and try again.
And to prove it, check out a recent interview here where Blanchett sings the classic Dream A Little Dream Of Me.
