Right when they read out the nominees, Cate had a very sad expression on, as though she was already fighting through disappointment. Not sour grapes or anything; just sadness. It’s all very well and good for people to say, as Cate has herself (while holding one), that awards are meaningless, but they DO matter to a lot of people — just look at Brendan Fraser and Ke Huy Quan, to name only two; look at what it meant to Michelle Yeoh, the Asian community, what it would have meant to Angela Bassett. I think it’s nice and okay and NORMAL to feel that, and admit it, even with something as simple as a facial expression. It’s okay to want things, Cate! Having said that, she was still statistically in it until she wasn’t, and it would be hard not to have hope. The good news for her is that she’s Cate Blanchett, so unlike a lot of her competitors, she’ll Meryl Streep these nights for the rest of her life. It will not be her last try.
Also: There are pretzels in this post. For real.
