‘I’m Not There’: The “utterly ludicrous” role that Cate Blanchett couldn’t refuse
Cate Blanchett has an undeniably commanding presence, captivating audiences with her piercing gaze in Carol, her intensely disarming charisma in Tár, and her ethereal aura in The Lord of the Rings. She’s an actor who resists easy categorisation, seamlessly adapting to each role while maintaining a formidable screen presence that leaves audiences entranced. Perhaps no project illustrates this more than her 2007 film I’m Not There, where she stars alongside five other actors, all embodying the same character in a strikingly unconventional portrayal.
I’m Not There, directed by Todd Haynes, shows musical icon Bob Dylan throughout six different stages of his life, with a different actor reprising the role during each stage, mirroring the singer’s constant transformation and artistic evolution. Dylan is played by actors such as Christian Bale, Heath Ledger and Richard Gere, with each one bringing a new interpretation and additional insight into the inner world of one of the most celebrated musicians of all time.
However, the decision to cats Blanchett as one of the iterations of Dylan was fairly unheard of at the time, mirroring the fluidity of the singer’s identity and quest for reinvention, never settling on one idea of who he was and always on a path of discovery.
When Blanchett was asked about her initial reaction to being asked to star in the project, the actor said, “I think I run a hundred miles an hour away from projects every single time, and in the end, the ones that stick are the ones that sort of pursue you and you can’t say no to,” she explained. “The idea of playing Bob Dylan was just so utterly ludicrous that of course I had to say yes and it was very daunting.”
The physical transformation needed for the role is understandably daunting, and adding the responsibility of portraying a real-life figure would be overwhelming for many. However, Blanchett met the challenge head-on, delivering a stunningly introspective performance that earned her a Golden Globe for ‘Best Actress’ and an Academy Award nomination to boot. Her portrayal was widely praised as the standout among the cast, solidifying her reputation for embodying complex characters with depth and nuance.
The film’s structure attempts to recreate Dylan’s ever-evolving nature. It uses a non-linear narrative style to weave in and out of the many different phases of his life, with each actor representing a different facet of his personality or his music.
Haynes is fascinated by the blurred lines between gender roles and societal expectations, often choosing to make films that lie within the surrealist territory of those confines. This can also be seen in his 2015 film Carol, with which he also collaborated with Blanchett, and is perhaps one of the definitive performances of her career. In many ways, Blanchett is the perfect actor to bring to life the aspects of ourselves that struggle to come out into the light, making a career out of the grey areas within our identities and fleshing out the most contradictory and brilliant characters.
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