Cate
Blanchett: Queen of Cool

Calling Cate Blanchett the coolest straight woman of 2007 is an understatement. "She's just so cool she calls 'straight' completely into question," he laughs. "You can quote me on that."

Haynes caught the full force of Blanchett's mojo as she prepared to play a character modeled on Bob Dylan in Haynes's new movie I'm Not There. "I knew in my gut physically that it was going to be startling and effective," says Haynes from his home in Portland, Ore. "I knew she would actually look like Dylan. But it's not until you stand opposite her in complete costume. The first time she put it all on, I went to see her in her trailer and we both just sat there staring at each other."

We can relate. Cate Blanchett takes our breath away. She defies the categories by which we measure smaller stars. She's brilliant enough to take on Queen Elizabeth I and Bob Dylan in a single moviegoing season. She's mysterious enough to make us believe her in both roles. What can we say? She's cool.

When I meet her, Blanchett is both pleased and amused to receive The Advocate's recognition. "I heard I was going to be the coolest straight person. How kind!" she says. "There's a lot of us to choose from."