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Cate Blanchett to Receive Freedom of the City of London Honor

Cate Blanchett to Receive Freedom of the City of London Honor

Yahoo3 days ago
Cate Blanchett will receive the Freedom of the City of London, an ancient tradition used to honor an individual's contribution to the community.
The Aussie actress, as well as Northern Ireland's Adrian Dunbar, will receive the Freedom of the City for their work in the arts.
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Blanchett is famed for her Oscar-winning roles in The Aviator and Blue Jasmine, as well as high-profile performances in The Lord of the Rings franchise and more recently, Black Bag. She is an activist on issues such as climate change and serves as an UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador, advocating for refugees and displaced people.
Dunbar will be best known to audiences for his role in the hit U.K. police procedural Line of Duty. Among his recent credits is ITV's Ridley and Inside No. 9.
Both actors have also performed on the stage — at the iconic London venue the Barbican, Blanchett appeared in The Seagull from February to April this year, and Kiss Me, Kate with Dunbar is running from June to September this summer.
The Freedom of the City of London is one of the city's oldest traditions and is believed to have been going since 1237.
Chair of the CLC's Freedom applications committee, Alderman Russell, said Freedom is 'offered as a way of paying tribute to their outstanding contribution to London or public life, or to celebrate a very significant achievement.'
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5 Ways 'The Handmaid's Tale' Season Six Finale Episode Differs From The Ending Of Margaret Atwood's Book
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5 Ways 'The Handmaid's Tale' Season Six Finale Episode Differs From The Ending Of Margaret Atwood's Book

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Taskmaster Season 20 Cast: 5 Celebrities On The New Line-Up Announced
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Emily Makes a Long-Awaited Return in 'The Handmaid's Tale' Series Finale
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time2 days ago

  • Elle

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Spoilers below. The Handmaid's Tale has put us through the wringer throughout its final season (and the whole series, really), but luckily, not all of the surprises have been brutal. In this week's season 6 finale—the show's final episode—June (Elisabeth Moss) and viewers at home were treated to Emily's (Alexis Bledel) shocking but welcome return. The character, who was introduced in the show's first season, was written off after season 4 when Bledel stepped away from the series. In season 5, Emily's wife, Sylvia (Clea DuVall), tells June that Emily returned to Gilead on a personal mission to seek revenge and find Aunt Lydia. Since then, she's been missing in action, until this week's finale scene, where Emily and June reunite and take a walk together in a freed Boston. 'It was an immediate yes,' Bledel told The Hollywood Reporter of returning to Handmaid's for the finale. 'It felt right to bring closure to Emily's journey and offer the audience a sense of completion. Bruce put together such a kind and talented group, and so many of the original crew were still there in season six. The production runs like a well-oiled machine — everyone brings their best. I'm excited to see what they create in [sequel series] The Testaments.' Bledel added, 'I hope viewers take away to keep hope alive when things seem impossible. Even if it seems like seeds you plant couldn't possibly grow, plant seeds of hope anyway. You never know; they might find a way.' The actress announced her departure from The Handmaid's Tale in May 2022, ahead of the season 5 premiere. 'After much thought, I felt I had to step away from 'The Handmaid's Tale' at this time,' she told Variety in a statement. 'I am forever grateful to Bruce Miller for writing such truthful and resonant scenes for Emily, and to Hulu, MGM, the cast and crew for their support.' At the time, Moss told Entertainment Tonight that Bledel's exit 'wasn't the easiest thing in the world to handle, I'll be honest with you, because she's such a great, fantastic part of the show. But I do think that it was handled in a really good way.' Years later, the star, director, and executive producer opened up about bringing Bledel—and Emily—back to Handmaid's for its emotional conclusion. 'Bruce talked to me about bringing her back a while ago, before there was even an outline or script,' Moss told THR. 'I think I said to him at the time, 'You realize now that you've told me that, we have to do it.' It's not the easiest thing in the world to call an actor and be like, 'Can you come back for this one episode?' They're busy. But I was like, 'She has to do it.' I get very passionate about these things! And she wanted to do it from the beginning. She didn't need convincing at all. My first official scene on day one [on set] was with Alexis. So it meant a lot to get to work with her again.' That surprise cameo meant a lot to fans, too. ELLE Collective is a new community of fashion, beauty and culture lovers. For access to exclusive content, events, inspiring advice from our Editors and industry experts, as well the opportunity to meet designers, thought-leaders and stylists, become a member today HERE. Erica Gonzales is the Deputy Editor, Culture at where she oversees coverage on TV, movies, music, books, and more. She was previously an editor at There is a 75 percent chance she's listening to Lorde right now.

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