Blanchett Accepts Japan Art Prize
The actress received a medal and 15 million yen at a Tokyo ceremony, joining past winners like Scorsese and Kurosawa.
By Benjamin Mahmoud ·
Cate Blanchett accepted Japan’s Praemium Imperiale award at a black-tie ceremony in Tokyo on Wednesday. The two-time Oscar winner joined a group of international artists honored for lifetime achievement in the arts.
Each recipient of the prize receives a medal, a testimonial letter, and an honorarium of 15 million yen. The sum is just under $100,000. The award is presented by the Japan Art Association and is often described as the Nobel Prize of the arts.
Princess Hitachi of Japan presented Blanchett with the medal at the Meiji Kinenkan in the Moto-Akasaka district. This year’s other laureates include American artist Jenny Holzer, British sculptor Andy Goldsworthy, American architect Daniel Libeskind, and Swedish conductor Herbert Blomstedt.
Blanchett is part of a long list of theater and film recipients that includes Federico Fellini, Akira Kurosawa, Jean-Luc Godard, Martin Scorsese, Judi Dench, and Catherine Deneuve. Ang Lee was the most recent Hollywood-associated winner, receiving the honor in 2024.
During a news conference, Blanchett discussed the role of doubt in creative work. She stated that in a world filled with unthinking certainty, doubt is vital to the creative process. She said doubt starts the challenge, questioning, and exploration that allows for conversation and change.
Former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton attended the event as the prize’s U.S. international adviser. She argued that the award makes a global declaration that artists are essential pillars of society. Clinton said the role of the arts is more critical now due to threats to democratic values and the rise of artificial intelligence.
Clinton called for bolstering the arts while preserving human imagination and connection. She noted that the technology’s risks require careful management. The international advisory network, of which Clinton is a part, recommends candidates for the prize. The Japan Art Association makes the final selections.
Blanchett’s Tokyo visit continues with appearances at the 39th Tokyo International Film Festival, which runs through November 4. On Friday, she will join filmmakers Mohammad Rasoulof and Shahrbanoo Sadat for a Q&A following the Japanese premieres of five shorts supported by the Displacement Film Fund. She will also appear with directors David and Nathan Zellner for a discussion about their film Alpha Gang.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
