Cate Blanchett's role in "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" was a significant one that showcased her talent as an actress. She played the character of the White Witch, also known as Jadis, who is the main antagonist in the film. Blanchett's portrayal of the White Witch was both captivating and chilling. She brought depth and complexity to the character, making her more than just a typical villain. Blanchett's performance was praised for its intensity and ability to convey the dark and mysterious nature of the character. The White Witch is a powerful and manipulative sorceress who has plunged the land of Narnia into a perpetual winter.

Cate blanchett lion witch wardrobe

By Tevin Murphy and J’Neia Stewart

C.S. Lewis created one of the most iconic high fantasy series of all time: The Chronicles of Narnia. This series follows the tales of various ordinary humans who find themselves in the magical land of Narnia where animals can talk and witches exist. While the series is certainly inspired by themes and premises present in Christianity, its characters and messages remain timeless and fascinatingly unique. We chose this to fancast because of the potential for diversity not only in The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe but the other parts of the series as well.

Viola Davis as Aslan

Aslan is introduced in the first book of the Chronicles of Narnia series The Lion The Witch and the Wardrobe. The audience’s first understanding of Aslan comes when Mr. Beaver explains to the Pevensie children that Aslan is the true and rightful king of Narnia. However Aslan makes his first physical appearance in the series when Mr. Beaver leads the children to Aslan at the stone table for a large gathering of Narnians. In the series, Aslan takes the form of a lion and C. S. Lewis wrote Aslan as an allegory for Jesus Christ and believed that Aslan is the form that Jesus would take in a mystical world. Aslan is shown to be wise, fair, understanding, kind, and dangerous when the need arises. I instantly thought of Viola Davis for Aslan because her voice is soothing, majestic, and quite simply divine.

Marsai Martin as Lucy Pevensie

Lucy is the youngest of the Pevensie children and the very first of the four to travel to Narnia through the wardrobe in The Lion The Witch and the Wardrobe. Lucy is the most sensitive and steadfast in her faith of not just Aslan but of Narnia in general. Lucy is brave and noble while innocent and loyal to those she loves. She is dedicated to saving Narnia and freeing them from the White Witches control. Despite being mocked and dismissed by her siblings initially when she told them about her traveling to Narnia she is still very much loves them and wants nothing but the best for them. Marsai Martin is perfect at portraying innocence and intelligence and would be the perfect Lucy.

Caleb McLaughlin as Edmund Pevensie

Edmund is the second of the Pevensie children to find their way into the magical world of Narnia through the wardrobe. Initially Edmund just like the rest of his siblings didn’t believe Lucy about her claims of having traveled to Narnia. Edmund makes mean and hurtful comments to his sister in regard to her belief in Narnia and what she’s seen. However during a game of hide and go seek in the Professor’s home Edmund finds himself inside the wardrobe and unintentionally stumbles into the world of Narnia. Unbeknownst to him upon entering Narnia Edmund encounters the White Witch that has been terrorizing Narnia. In the beginning Edmund is characterized as quite mean, selfish, spiteful and mean spirited during the course of the series which changes as time goes on and he begins to see the error of this ways. Caleb McLaughlin would make the perfect Edmund because he’s perfect at portraying a young boy trying to find himself as he grows older.

Laura Harrier as Susan Pevensie

Susan is the eldest Pevensie sister and the second eldest of the Pevensie children. She is quite mature, stern, and logical in her resolve. Susan and her brother Edmund are the last to enter Narnia through the wardrobe. When Susan and Peter enter Narnia for the first time it is by accident when the four Pevensie children were hiding from Miss MaCready in the Professor’s estate. When the children enter Narnia and encounter Father Christmas, Susan is gifted with a bow and arrows that never miss their target as well as a horn that sends for help when blown. Susan is determined and motherly to her brothers and sisters wanting nothing but the best of them as well as their safety. Despite her bow and arrows being magical, she still practices with them frequently, and this is a testament to her desire to be ready, prepared, and mature. Laura Harrier would make the perfect Susan because she gives off the vibe of maturity….potentially because she is actually mature.

Ray Fisher as Peter Pevensie

Peter is the eldest and most mature of the Pevensie children. His maturity comes from supporting his siblings through his father being called into war. Peter is extremely noble, honest, and just, and for the most part just wants to protect and guide his siblings in the best way he knows how. Peter, like the rest of his siblings, didn’t believe his sister Lucy when she said she’d traveled to Narnia through the magic wardrobe in Professor Digory’s home. However Peter apologized and felt terrible for not believing Lucy when she initially told them about where she’d traveled to. Peter was also angry with Edmund for lying about having not been to Narnia despite having actually traveled there. Ray Fisher is the perfect choice for Peter because he gives off an air of maturity while still remaining youthful.

Marianne Jean Baptiste as The Professor

The Professor, also known in the book series as Digory Kirke, houses the Pevensies when they are forced to flee into the countryside during the German Blitz during World War II. The Magician’s Nephew, the first book in the chronology of the story of Narnia, reveals the origins of both The Professor and The White Witch and, at the end, reveals that he built the wardrobe that would later transport the Pevensies to Narnia. The Professor is also the person who persuades the older Pevensie siblings to listen to Lucy rather than dismiss her after she tells them about her visit to Narnia. For this role, Marianne Jean Baptiste, whose recent acting credits include the second season of critically acclaimed BBC drama Broadchurch, would be perfect. She maintains a mature yet imaginative personality that would be necessary for a role like this.

Cate Blanchett as The White Witch

The White Witch, also known as Jadis, is the general antagonist in The Magician’s Nephew as well as The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe. The White Witch, through her own magic, subjects Narnia to a winter that lasts a hundred years and is both paranoid and fearful of a prophecy that states four people will defeat her to rule Narnia. So paranoid is she that she instructs the various creatures who work for her as well as other Narnians to bring to her any humans found in Narnia. She tempts younger Pevensie brother, Edmund, to her side, causing him to betray his siblings. The White Witch is defeated and killed in the Battle of Beruna by Aslan himself, whom she is previously thought to have killed as he volunteered to be killed in Edmund’s place. Cate Blanchett would be absolutely iconic in this role, especially considering her upcoming role as Hela in Taika Waititi’s Thor: Ragnarok.

Alfred Enoch as Mr. Tumnus

Tumnus is the first Narnian character we are introduced to in The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, a close friend of Lucy Pevensie, and a satyr (half-man, half-goat). He first returns Lucy to her world after being incredibly fearful of having to give her over to The White Witch, noting that she would find out sooner or later as so many creatures are on her side. When Lucy returns (her brother Edmund not far behind), she sees that Tumnus is still safe, though a later visit including all four siblings reveals that Tumnus was arrested by The White Witch’s secret police after Edmund divulges that Lucy met him in her first visit to Narnia. Alfred Enoch, whose previous acting roles include the pop culture phenomenon Harry Potter and critically acclaimed crime drama How to Get Away With Murder, has a certain innocent youth about him that would make him fun to watch as Mr. Tumnus.

David Oyelowo and Eve Myles as Mr. and Mrs. Beaver

Mr. and Mrs. Beaver serve as guides for the Pevensies through Narnia after Tumnus enlists them to do so in the event of his arrest by The White Queen’s police. Notably, they are the ones who inform the Pevensies of the prophecy concerning them as the harbingers of The White Queen’s demise as well as Aslan and his return to Narnia. Like Tumnus, Edmund betrays the location of the Beavers as well as his siblings to The White Witch after sneaking out of the Beavers’ home. For these incredibly important roles, David Oyelowo (Selma, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, and Queen of Katwe) and Eve Myles (Torchwood & Broadchurch) are perfect fits.

Peter Dinklage as Ginarrbrik

Ginarrbrik is a Black Dwarf and is a servant for The White Witch. Interestingly, he is only given a name in the film rather than the book. He has a somewhat minimal role in both the book and the film, notably working as the overseer for Edmund while The White Witch imprisons him and also drives the sleigh for The White Witch. Peter Dinklage, most notably known as Tyrion on the HBO series Game of Thrones, would be ideal in this role as it might be interesting to see him in an antagonistic role.

Manu Bennett as Maugrim

Maugrim is the head of The White Witch’s secret police and also guards The White Witch’s castle. In The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, Maugrim is a Talking Animal, specifically a wolf, that is particularly efficient at hunting and killing the creatures who offend The White Witch. Maugrim is later killed by Peter Pevensie after attempting to attack Susan Pevensie. The best person to play Maugrim is Manu Bennett, most notable for his roles in Arrow and Spartacus.

Its been years since we saw a new film in the Chronicles of Narnia series and a lot has changed since the first film was released. The Chronicles of Narnia is one of those series that is ripe for a reboot that does the original books and characters justice bringing them to a new audience. The books are masterfully written tales of belief, faith, good and evil, and above all things doing what is right. I hope to see these characters reimagined and brought to life again and fairly soon. The world of Narnia could be the perfect example of diversity in fantasy and is a prime candidate to show off just how diversity can not only enrich your story, but enhance its meaning to viewers and readers.

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The chronicles of Narnia The lion, The witch, and the wardrobe fancast

i've seen often news about another possible narnia movie, but nothing happens, here is who i would cast in a possible new narnia TLTWATW movie, if they ever make, THE SOUNDTRACK SHOULD STAY THE SAME! It still manages to shake me inside

1. Asa Butterfield

Asa Butterfield was born in Islington, London, England, to Jacqueline Farr and Sam Butterfield. He began acting at the age of 8, after a talent spotting casting director saw him at his local after school drama club, The Young Actors Theatre in Islington. Following on from a couple of small roles in.

Peter Pevensie Well we have already seen a lot of times how good of an actor he is, and being british, has the looks of an 18 years old, so it fits the role

or: Nicholas Hamilton Charlie Rowe

2. Lewis MacDougall

Lewis MacDougall is a Scottish film actor. He is known for Голос монстра (2016) and his film debut, Пэн: Путешествие в Не&.

Edmund Pevensie His performance as Connor O'maley in "A monster calls" was in my opinion, oscar worthy, and he is a 14 years old British, so would be enough for me to cast him as Edmund

or: Samuel Joslin Daniel Huttlestone Levi Miller maybe

3. Sophie Turner

Sophie Belinda Jonas (née Turner; born February 21, 1996) is an English actress. Turner made her professional acting debut as Sansa Stark on the HBO fantasy television series Игра престолов (2011) (2011-2019), which .

Susan Pevensie A fine talented actress who has the looks of a 16 years old girl or: Maisie Williams

4. Millie Bobby Brown

Millie Bobby Brown (born 19 February 2004) is an English actress and model. She rose to prominence for her role as Eleven in the Netflix science fiction drama series Очень странные дела (2016), for.

Lucy Pevensie I was avoiding to put her as Lucy, don't get me wrong, she is an awesome actress, but Lucy is arround 8 years old, she is 13 or 14, but i can't find any other actress whom is british and between 9 and 11 years old

5. Tilda Swinton

The iconoclastic gifts of the highly striking and ferociously talented actress Tilda Swinton have been appreciated by art house crowds and international audiences alike. After her stunning Oscar-winning turn as a high-powered corporate attorney in the George Clooney starring and critically-lauded .

Not gonna say who, or why she should play her, if you don't know. i'm sorry for you, BUT, im talking about a reboot so, the pick would be someone else

6. Cate Blanchett

Cate Blanchett was born on May 14, 1969 in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, to June (Gamble), an Australian teacher and property developer, and Robert DeWitt Blanchett, Jr., an American advertising executive, originally from Texas. She has an older brother and a younger sister. When she was ten .

She is gonna play Hela in Thor Ragnarok, wich makes me certain she would play a very "good" white witch

7. Joseph Fiennes

Joseph Alberic Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes was born in Salisbury, Wiltshire, to Jennifer Anne Mary Alleyne (Lash), a novelist, and Mark Fiennes, a photographer. He is one of six children. Four of his siblings are also in the arts: Ralph Fiennes, an actor; Martha Fiennes, a director; Magnus Fiennes, a.

Mr.Tumnus I have so many actors in my mind that i think would be great for this role Benedict Cumberbatch Tom Hiddleston Damian Lewis Christian Bale

8. Liam Neeson

Liam Neeson was born on June 7, 1952 in Ballymena, Northern Ireland, to Katherine (Brown), a cook, and Bernard Neeson, a school caretaker. He was raised in a Catholic household. During his early years, Liam worked as a forklift operator for Guinness, a truck driver, an assistant architect and an .

Aslan The one and only, but as i said previously with Tilda swinton as white witch, is a reboot, so the other pick would be:

9. Idris Elba

An only child, Idrissa Akuna Elba was born and raised in London, England. His father, Winston, is from Sierra Leone and worked at Ford Dagenham; his mother, Eve, is from Ghana and had a clerical duty. Idris attended school in Canning Town, where he first became involved in acting, before he dropped.

Just see hisperformance as shere khan in "The jungle book" or: Djimon Hounsou

10. Michael Caine

Michael Caine was born as Maurice Joseph Micklewhite in London, to Ellen (née Burchell), a cook, and Maurice Micklewhite Sr., a fish-market porter. He had a younger brother, Stanley Caine, and an older maternal half-brother named David Burchell. He left school at age 15 and took a series of .

Professor Kirke Fits the appearence of the kind little old man, and is a great actor, so i would pick him, despite that he is too good for such a small role

11. Lupita Nyong'o

Lupita Amondi Nyong'o was born March 1, 1983 in Mexico City, Mexico, to Kenyan parents, Dorothy Ogada Buyu and Peter Anyang' Nyong'o. Her father, a senator, was then a visiting lecturer in political science. She was raised in Kenya. At age 16, her parents sent her back to Mexico for seven months to.

Mrs.Beaver Again i say: watch "The Jungle book" and get why

12. Ian McKellen

Widely regarded as one of greatest stage and screen actors both in his native Great Britain and internationally, twice nominated for the Oscar and recipient of every major theatrical award in the UK and US, Ian Murray McKellen was born on May 25, 1939 in Burnley, Lancashire, England, to Margery .

Mr.Beaver A great british actor whose voice matches the character

Cate blanchett lion witch wardrobe

My, What Big Ears You Have: Georgie Henley's Lucy shares a secret with James McAvoy's fawn in 'The Chronicles of Narnia.'

'The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe'—critter mayhem in a Christian land far, far away

WILL The Chronicles of Narnia make as big a fiscal noise as The Lord of the Rings? It should do well. There are tons of people who will pay $9 to see a lion get crucified.

Before haggling over the details, note what the new franchise-to-be is missing: sex, in a word. And it was sex, partially, that gave that three-film epic its tensile strength: the hot glances between Viggo Mortensen and Liv Tyler (and between Sean Astin and Elijah Wood, one supposes).

The Chronicles of Narnia's biggest name is Tilda Swinton, gorgeously evil in a black-contact-lenses role as Jadis the White Witch. But that is only one grand performance. Each Lord of the Rings installment featured several.

Moreover, the Ring series was more morally complex. In Middle-earth, even goodness could turn on you—as, for example, when Cate Blanchett's Galadriel got a wicked shock off the cursed ring: she was so divine, she thought she was grounded.

Implied in Peter Jackson's trilogy was the idea of the terrible force of guilt and how corrosive it could be: it drove poor Gollum crazier than Peter Lorre.

But based as it is on the works of a tedious old proselytizing Christian such as C.S. Lewis, the Narnia series is pro-guilty conscience. Take sweeties from an evil queen, kill a lion. It's the law.

I am an ex-child who loved the Narnia books. I even had a cat named Aslan, who sadly lacked the recuperative powers of his namesake. Still, book one of the series, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, seemed like a slow starter.

Lucy goes to Narnia, stops for tea, falls asleep and has to return to convince her brothers and sister to come join her. They stall. Then two of them go back, having failed to convince their elders.

Even as a child, I realized I didn't have an eternity to live and that the show really ought to get on the road. It seemed all the more slowpoke later when reading The Lord of the Rings, which drops you into Middle-earth like a paratrooper. Here's your map—in you go.

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe tries to start with a grabber—a poorly animated sequence about the blitz in World War II, explaining why the four children are relocated to the country away from the bombardment.

A good 20 minutes go by until the characters are where they need to be, all four of them. The magic world of Narnia is under the grip of eternal winter, by command of a royal White Witch. Queen Jadis is frosty with evil: she's crowned with a coronet of ice and has pale frost-bitten eyelashes. Swinton is a slender woman, and so she's costumed in a conical brace, like the broad end of a funnel, to make her look strong around the shoulders.

Of all things, Jadis fears the "sons of Adam and daughters of Eve" the most. Using hot chocolate and candy, she buys off young Edmund (Skander Keynes). Director Andrew Adamson gives no explanation for why he might be so susceptible. With rationing in World War II making candy and chocolate scarce, it would be tempting to sell all for Turkish delight.

Thus the boy betrays his sister's friend Mr. Tumnus the Faun (James McAvoy, made up to look a little like Matthew Barney in Cremaster 4). Edmond is kidnapped, but the other three children have a helpful pair of guardians: talking Cockney beavers. (Mr. Beaver is voiced by the usually scary Ray Winstone.)

There are a few unmixed pleasures in The Chronicles of Narnia. Swinton, who looks like a trailer-park Amazon in Broken Flowers, is even more stern and suffused with cold power here.

She is especially frightening in her last guise. The narrow corners of Jadis' eyes are daubed with blood-red war paint as she heads off to battle in a war chariot drawn by polar bears.

The sequence of the children trooping into the depths of a long-forgotten wardrobe, the fur coats around them yielding to a snowy pine forest, raises a stir of childish delight. All other armoires ever since have seemed so disappointing.

Another reliable treat is the performance by Georgie Henley as Lucy, the littlest girl in the Pevensie family. She is an unaffected child actor—one of those little girls who show how graceful they can be by never worrying if they're cute or not.

But for me, the sight of doughty Mr. Beaver in a little suit of chain mail is the chief pleasure. Beaver wins extra points for referring to Aslan as "the top geezer." It's an old-time Disney pleasure to see the homely chaffing between him and Mrs. Beaver (as opposed to the too-modern scrimmage of chimerical creatures at the end).

Beavers are possibly earth's most underrated animal. Have you seen the Canadian documentary Beavers in IMAX? It's so cute it makes March of the Penguins look like a pile of puke, to steal a line from that ol' glasswipe Moe Szyslak.

Plotwise, the film is simple and uninflected; it's a long march to join Aslan the Lion (voiced by Liam Neeson), who leads the resistance against the witch and her 100-year-long winter. Under Aslan's example, Peter (William Moseley), the eldest, gets the strength to be a king.

The final battle is a huge Lord of the Rings-style Götterdämmerung. But unlike Jackson, director Adamson doesn't temper the violence with unexpected scope and humor. Who would have thought the director of the Shrek series could make something so essentially unfunny?

True, this battle features the highest grade of computer animation. It is fought underneath a sky as clear and turquoise-blue as a New Mexico noon. No sloppy rush-work animation is hiding under half-light.

But as the tigers leap on leopards, and minotaurs on centaurs, it all becomes exhausting and downright painful: creatures dying to establish the primacy of man.

Having to explain why it's especially unedifying to watch an animal suffer is fairly lunatic, but lunacy is the frequent movie watcher's lot.

There is a terrible self-preserving faculty in humanity that kicks in when witnessing someone else being injured. We solace ourselves with a selfish thought: If a human being is hurt, he or she must have done something to deserve it. (Thus the popularity of the expression "He was in the wrong place at the wrong time." If "he" was in the wrong place where he didn't belong, "I" was in the right place, because I'm a smarter and better person.)

When an animal is injured or hurt before our eyes, one can't reach for this irrational sense of justice. Creatures that live in an eternal present must suffer so much worse than humans. We humans can conceive of the pain coming to an end or look for a remedy or escape. And the realistically animated animals, sentient as they are, look like ordinary unsentient animals.

From Paganism to Christianity

The Chronicles of Narnia goes south when Aslan the lion king is taken away for mistreatment by the White Witch. Here the epic's diverting animalistic paganism leads to Christian lore—a disappointment now as it was for me 40 years ago.

And it is hardly buried Christianity that is flaunted here; Aslan's ordeal and rise, the establishment of Peter (get it?) as his representative, the healing bloodlike fluid in a heart-shaped glass—even Sunday school dropouts can't fail to get the picture.

Adam Gopnik wrote about this metaphor of Aslan as Jesus in his recent piece on Lewis in The New Yorker. Gopnik argued that a humble donkey would be a better symbol for Jesus. In such an animal story, the lowest of the animal "lowerarchy" (to use a Lewis word) can triumph over the kings of this world.

Lewis was a devout Anglican, and in his view the church was intertwined with the state. In Narnia, Aslan represents the righteousness of England and the righteousness of Jesus made one. The lion is a symbol that is attractive to those Christians—especially evangelical conservatives—who would rather see their church as a conquering, avenging faith than as a humble long-suffering one.

Watching The Chronicles of Narnia, those who prefer to keep religion out of their escapism might recall Kurt Kasznar's line from Casino Royale: "I didn't come here to be devoured by symbols of imperialism."

Oddly, though, Aslan—being the Resurrection and the Lion—is a symbol that works onscreen better than Gopnik could have anticipated.

Golden-maned and sad-faced, he is led off to bear the weight of Edmund's sins. It's like a Renaissance painting: Jesus as the most beautiful creature alive, led off to be mistreated by the foulest monsters. And waiting for Aslan at the altar are a menagerie of ogres, cyclopses and vampires, worthy of Goya's Black Paintings.

But then the symbol breaks down under the weight of cinematic realism. When the great lion is bound and humiliated, what we're seeing is not quite Jesus and not quite the mystical lion king Aslan.

It's too literal: What we're really seeing is an animal being mistreated. Although the lion is a computerized simulacrum, although the moral lesson is supposed to be edifying, it's hard not to come out of The Chronicles of Narnia without a sense of bitterness. The barbarism in a supposedly gentle faith always seems to reveal itself under the harsh light of a film projector.

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe (PG; 140 min.), directed by Andrew Adamson, written by Ann Peacock, Adamson, Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, based on the book by C.S. Lewis, photographed by Donald McAlpine and starring Georgie Henley, Skandar Keynes and Tilda Swinton, plays valleywide.

Send a letter to the editor about this story to [email protected].

Web extra to the December 7-13, 2005 issue of Metro, Silicon Valley's Weekly Newspaper.

For more information about the San Jose/Silicon Valley area, visit sanjose.com.

Cate blanchett lion witch wardrobe

No one plays a woman in constant duress quite as well as Tilda Swinton. Don’t get me wrong, she can hit any emotion demanded of her, but in looking over the roles I’ve chosen as her best, the majority of them highlight Swinton at her most unnerved. Whether she’s scrambling to protect her son, herself, her lover, or the billion-dollar corporation she works for, there’s simply no match for Swinton’s desperation. And it’s for that reason that Swinton is, and I’m sure will remain, one of the very finest actresses currently working in film.

Margaret Hall is a normal woman living a normal life. Married, kids, successful husband – she’s an idealistic representation of American upper-middle class. But when she learns her teenage son is having an affair with a much older man, she has every intention of putting an end to it.

Soon after Swinton approaches her son’s lover (played with the charm of a snake by Josh Lucas) things go wrong for the Hall family very very quickly. There’s trickery, blackmail, murder – so many times during the film, it appears as thought the jig is up for innocent little Margaret. But looks certainly can be deceiving.

Because Swinton’s screentime in Broken Flowers clocks in at less than two minutes, it’s fair to say that this is definitely not one of Swinton’s most discussed roles. What it is, however, is easily one of my favorites.

By the time I saw Jim Jarmusch’s remarkable little film, I knew damn well who Tilda Swinton was. But I don’t think it was until months later that I realized she played the final former lover of Bill Murray’s cross-country quest to locate the mother of his suspected son. Most of the women on Murray’s voyage treat him openly, others timidly, and one even sexually. All are nice, except Penny. Clad in white trash-perfect attire, heavy eye make up and a killer attitude, Penny spits venom at Murray’s character, giving the film a shocking jolt of tension. It’s a remarkable performance, never mind its length.

I thought Cate Blanchett had the 2007 Oscar for Best Supporting Actress in the bag. Maybe Amy Ryan would take the steam of her critics awards and nab it, or possibly veteran Ruby Dee could pull an upset, but certainly not Swinton, I mean, she didn’t do anything in Michael Clayton, right?

So when Swinton’s name was called, I took it as a sign of faith. The Oscar voters knew that her desperate work as the desperate Karen Crowder was something we rarely see: a woman in complete self-inflicted peril, without the benefit of monologues, tears or all that much time on screen. In short, after Swinton won, I went back and judged her work in the film. Harshly. At first glance, sure, you can say Swinton isn’t doing too much in the film, when in fact, she’s actually doing everything.

Early in Michael Clayton, Sydney Pollack bellows aloud: “Where the fuck is Karen Crowder?” Ha, wouldn’t she like to know.

The best, most sadly overlooked performance of Tilda Swinton’s career is her starring work in Erick Zonca’s criminally ignored Julia.

In the film, itself based on and inspired by John Cassavetes’ Gloria, Swinton plays a reckless alcoholic who parties, sleeps around, loses jobs – you name it. In spite of her recklessness (or is it because of it…?) Julia is propositioned to kidnap a boy and split the ransom money. And, given Julia’s insatiable aptitude for fucking things up, the situation goes very wrong very fast, resulting in a unique thriller rooted by a devastating and daring performance.

In his review of the film, Roger Ebert noted that Swinton will take on any role regardless of ego, paycheck, vanity or career path. All that matters, he said, is whether the movie interests her. Couldn’t agree more. That is what makes Swinton one of the best we have.

I Am Love didn’t sound like a movie I wanted to see. An Italian family melodrama about wealth, class, and infidelity, made by a guy I was unfamiliar with, starring people I’d never heard of. Enter Tilda Swinton, who turned my apathy into curiosity. And in watching the film, my curiosity was flipped to unexpected admiration.

I Am Love is a uniquely executed, visually stunning, and impeccably acted drama about a well-to-do housewife who decides to stray from her marriage with her son’s friend. Speaking flawless Italian with a slight Russian accent (a great little hint that while Emma is a part of the wealthy family she married into, she’s not really part of it), Swinton portrays her character’s initial tediousness, quickly developed lust, and eventual dread, all with the subtle wonderment that we’ve come to expect from her. We’re never entirely sure of Emma’s motivations, but we have the best of times trying to pick the pieces apart.

When I set out to draft this post, I honestly thought I would choose Julia as Swinton’s best role, not just for the sake of being different, but because she really is quite flawless in that film. But upon rewatching We Need to Talk About Kevin, I simply cannot turn my back on the miracle(s) she executes here.

We Need to Talk About Kevin is a dark, relentless film, and Swinton is its anchor. I spoke earlier of Swinton’s knack for portraying desperate characters, and I believe Eva Khatchadourian to be the definitive summation of those roles. As we track Eva from a carefree young woman, to a despondent new mother, to a mortified middle-aged housewife, there’s simply nothing about Eva’s despair that you can ignore.

Just look at the still I’ve chosen to represent her work here. If you’ve seen the film, you know that just below the frame is a stroller containing Eva’s newborn, ceaselessly crying child. And playing over the soundtrack are the very loud sounds of construction equipment. The jackhammers pounding into the sidewalk are Eva’s first semblance of relief since her boy was born. They drown out the cries, and they bring her peace.

I remember the first time I saw We Need to Talk About Kevin, and how struck I was by that simple moment. I thought, “Wow, this lady’s got it bad.” I didn’t know the half of it, but Swinton’s fearless, tireless performance had me hooked from frame one. Which is something I could say about damn near anything she’s in.

The White Witch is a powerful and manipulative sorceress who has plunged the land of Narnia into a perpetual winter. She uses her magic to maintain control over the realm and keeps the inhabitants, especially the talking animals, in fear and submission. Blanchett perfectly captured the icy demeanor and cruel nature of the White Witch, creating a memorable and iconic portrayal.

Blanchett's physical appearance in the film further added to the allure of her character. With her long flowing blonde hair, pale skin, and striking blue eyes, she perfectly embodied the enchanting and otherworldly presence of the White Witch. Her elegant and regal costumes only heightened this effect, emphasizing the character's status as a supernatural being. Blanchett's performance in "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" earned her critical acclaim and solidified her status as one of the finest actresses of her generation. She was able to bring a complexity and depth to the character of the White Witch, making her more than just a one-dimensional villain. Blanchett's portrayal showcased her immense talent and ability to bring any character to life on screen. In conclusion, Cate Blanchett's role as the White Witch in "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" was a standout performance in the film. Her portrayal was captivating and chilling, showcasing her immense talent as an actress. Blanchett's depiction of the White Witch added depth and complexity to the character, making her more than just a typical villain. Her performance in the film further solidified her status as one of the finest actresses of her generation..

Reviews for "Exploring the Dark Side: Cate Blanchett's Villainous Performance in "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe"

1. John - 2/5: As a fan of the original "Lion, Witch, and Wardrobe" book, I was highly disappointed with Cate Blanchett's portrayal of the White Witch. She lacked the menacing presence that the character required, and her performance felt shallow and unconvincing. Additionally, the movie itself deviated too much from the original story, making it hard for fans to connect with the adaptation. Overall, I found Blanchett's performance and the movie as a whole to be underwhelming.

2. Sarah - 3/5: While I admire Cate Blanchett as an actress, I couldn't help but feel let down by her portrayal of the White Witch in "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe". Her performance lacked depth and seemed a bit over-the-top at times. Moreover, I found the CGI used for her character to be distracting and unrealistic. It didn't blend well with the live-action sequences and took away from the overall viewing experience. Despite Blanchett's talent, her performance in this film fell short of my expectations.

3. Michael - 2/5: As a huge fan of the original "Lion, Witch, and Wardrobe" book series, I was excited to see what Cate Blanchett would bring to the iconic role of the White Witch. However, her performance left much to be desired. Blanchett's portrayal lacked the true heart of evil that the character deserved, and her delivery felt forced and unnatural. The movie itself also disappointed, as it failed to capture the magic and wonder of the original story. Overall, I was left feeling unsatisfied with Blanchett's performance and the film as a whole.

Cate Blanchett's Masterful Portrayal of the White Witch in "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe": A Cinematic Marvel