‘History will not be kind’: Cate Blanchett getting ‘robbed’ of an Oscar for a performance that changed lives will never be forgiven

Cate Blanchett gave the performance of a lifetime in the 2022 psychological drama Tár, with the actress receiving high praise for her portrayal of the titular fictional composer-conductor, Lydia Tár. But when it came to the 95th Academy Awards’ Best Actress trophy, she lost to Michelle Yeoh for her performance as Evelyn Quan Wang in Everything Everywhere All at Once.

Fans recently took to social media to lament the loss by citing their displeasure at the Oscar snub —and statements varied from personal to slightly harsh. “Cate Blanchett got robbed big time. This performance is one of the best of the century. History will not be kind,” one person wrote. “Look, I love Michelle Yeoh like the next person, but going based on performance, Cate Blanchett literally transformed as Lydia Tar and gave one of the best performances of the century,” said another.

Written and directed by Todd Field, Tár follows conductor and composer Lydia Tár, who seemingly has it all. She’s at the top of her career, is preparing for a high-profile performance, and enjoys a stable personal life with her wife, Sharon, and their daughter, Petra. However, things take a dark turn as Lydia’s past actions and abuse of power catch up to her. This includes Lydia’s manipulative relationships with her colleagues and protégé Krista Taylor, a former student with whom she had an affair.

Tár made history when it became the fourth film ever to win top honors from the New York Film Critics Circle, the Los Angeles Film Critics Association, the London Film Critics Circle, and the National Society of Film Critics. Blanchett won Best Actress at the BAFTAs, Golden Globes, and Critics’ Choice Awards. But while the movie earned six nominations at the Oscars in 2023, including nods for Best Picture and Best Director, it took home none.

Yeoh, who was something of an underdog in the Academy Awards’ Best Actress category in 2023, caused a stir before the ceremony by sharing screenshots of a Vogue article that slammed the film industry’s perceived racism in the Best Leading Actress category. The author went on to mention Blanchett by name, along with the movie for which she was nominated.  Upon realizing that sharing the article on her personal Instagram account was a gross violation of the Academy’s rule, Yeoh deleted the post.

Judging by the most recent social media posts, Blanchett fans have not forgiven Yeoh for her actions, even though there may have been no malice intended. While a small portion of movie-goers may believe that Yeoh’s win, Everything Everywhere All at Once, was a “woke” move, it was far from a diversity pick. Instead, the decision reflected the Academy’s growing recognition of talent in an industry historically biased against non-white actors.

Since then, Blanchett has signed on to several new projects. The actress will next be seen in Black Bag, an upcoming thriller from director by Steven Soderbergh, which is coming to cinemas from March 14, 2025. In the meantime, while the Cate Nation’s support is no doubt appreciated, Blanchett is unlikely to be too devastated by how things turned out with Tár. She has got two Oscars to her name already.