Cate Blanchett provided some inside knowledge for Carol fans Sunday, revealing that it was “so hard” to get the project funded.
While speaking at the Toronto International Film Festival’s (TIFF) ‘In Conversation With…’ series, Blanchett told the crowd that it took a few years and multiple directors to make Carol a reality.
“It was a five-year period, because no one wanted to fund it at that point,” Blanchett said to moderator TIFF CEO Cameron Bailey, according to Variety.
The 2015 film follows a Christmas romance between Carol (Blanchett) and Therese (Rooney Mara). Although it became one of the best reviewed films of the year, Blanchett said the production faced many challenges.
“No one wanted to see … who was going to watch a film with one woman, let alone two women, falling in love?” the 55 year old asked.
Blanchett herself stepped away from the project after the film’s original director “sort of got taken off the project.” When award-winning director Todd Haynes (Far From Heaven, May December) signed on, she was back on board.
During filming, Blanchett recalled a moment on set where Haynes struggled with a particular scene and needed time to clear his head. Although she said there was “no conflict” with the director, she acknowledged the necessity of differing views.
“There is a misconception somehow that making the film, when it’s great, it’s like summer camp, and I’ve been on a couple of those, and the films have been fucking awful,” Blanchett said. “Polite disagreement, respectful disagreement is super important in the creative process.”
Blanchett called the film “a risky endeavor at the time”, but the film proved a large payoff.
Carol grossed over $42 million worldwide on an $11 million budget. Blanchett and Mara both received Oscar nominations for their performances. Carol was awarded Outstanding Film at the 2016 GLAAD Media Awards and Best Film at the 2015 New York Film Critics Circle Awards. In total, the film received 254 nominations and 75 wins, according to IMDB.
“When there’s a sense of risk in those tentpole films, and you can feel it when there is a risk, then they have a chance of being successful,” Blanchett said.
