There's a cliche about kids being natural actors that I think has a lot of truth to it. Watch sprogs when they play; they have absolutely no problem believing totally in some fantastic scenario and will happily go along with it "until the wheels fall off".
It's this childlike wonder and credulity that adult actors are tapping into in their work. It's pretty much the first requirement of the gig. Obviously the audience won't suspend their disbelief and become involved in the world their characters inhabit unless they do first.
Perhaps this is why so many actors sympathise with the new religion of left-wing, deep green ferndamentalism? I mean, they are professionally required to access an infantile state of mind, while ferndies are stuck in one permanently.
If you accept this then Cate Blanchett and Michael Caton's disastrous involvement in what was surely one of the most brazenly dishonest, patronising and cringeworthy ads ever made becomes understandable.
Full of childlike wonder and credulity, they surrender to the idea that they can "make the world a better place" with their activism. They believe completely and without question the hilariously puerile argument that the Australian Government can adjust the world's temperature by making people's power bills go through the roof. And then they dutifully read out their mind-numbingly stupid lines in a production that makes an episode of Play School seem mature and sophisticated.
The ad is broadcast and not surprisingly provokes a storm of derision and outrage directed at both of them, particularly "carbon Cate". Childlike, they wonder why people detest them so much.
Makes you feel kind of sorry for the poor little poppets ...
There's an exploding cigar on the way to the klutz that hired Michael Caton for this ad.
ReplyDeleteHe might have played a down to earth Aussie working man in The Castle, but in real life he helped lead a campaign against a train line extension to Bondi.
So much for thinking of the greater good!
Good point. He's a very odd choice. (Perhaps not that many other celebs willing?)
ReplyDeleteIt's also bad timing. Caton has voice overs for Macca's on air at the moment too. Not that there's anything wrong with that, of course. It's just another reminder that he's basically a hired gun who's not known for passion or integrity.