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For some reason, actress Cate Blanchett claimed she is “middle class” while speaking at a United Nations press conference during the 2024 Cannes Film Festival on Monday.
People on social media were quick to remind the two-time Academy Award winner that she’s worth around tens of millions of dollars.
While talking about her experience with refugee filmmakers and her experience as a goodwill ambassador, Cate Blanchett said, “I’m white, I’m privileged, I’m middle class, and I think, you know, one can be accused of having a bit of a white savior complex.
“But to be perfectly honest, my interaction with the refugees in the field and also in resettled environments has totally changed my perspective on the world and I’m utterly grateful for that.”
“And I think if you do have a platform, I want to be in dialogue with these people. I’ve met some extraordinary people with extraordinary creative talents and amazing perspectives.”
Video of Blanchett claiming to be “middle class” quickly went viral on TikTok in a post by the Associated Press.
@apnews From @AP Entertainment ♬ original sound – The Associated Press
Multiple media outlets then proceeded to peg Cate Blanchett’s net worth at somewhere around $95 million in response to the video.
“She’s WHAT class?” read one comment on the AP’s TikTok video.
“Did she say middle class?” another person asked, echoing dozens of others.
“Under no circumstances is a net worth of $95 million middle class!!!” read another comment.
“I love Cate Blanchett, but in what world is she ‘middle class?’” another person wrote. “She’s been in two major franchises and is worth an estimated 90 million.”
“The fact she considers herself middle class shows how out of touch these people are,” some one else commented.
Others, meanwhile, tried to defend Cate Blanchett calling herself “middle class.”
“I was gonna jump on that ‘middle class’ comment, but then I realized there are Masters of the Universe, with multiple billions – upper class,” someone wrote. “Then upper middle class I guess with 100s of mils and then lower middle class with 100s of thousands. All else are really working class now.”
“I think what she means by middle class is her upbringing,” another fan wrote, defending the actress. “Not necessarily where she is now. Class is not always wealth or vice versa.”
“Guys middle class in UK means something completely different than the US,” another person said to try and excuse Blanchett (who is Australian).
For what it’s worth, Cat Blanchett’s father was a United States Navy Chief Petty Officer who became an advertising executive, but died when she was just 10-years-old. Her mother was a property developer and teacher. So it is possible that she was speaking of her situation growing up.
Either way, it was definitely a strange thing for someone worth around $100 million to say.