The Oscar-winning actress met the royals and ended up discussing an unusual subject of conversation at the table.
Not much fazes the royals these days -- except maybe technology.
Cate Blanchett shared a hilarious story on the British talk show The Jonathan Ross Show, airing Saturday, about meeting Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, where the conversation didn't focus on acting, including her role as Queen Elizabeth I, as she might have expected.
"There were 12 of us, and I couldn’t work out for the life of me why I’d been invited,” the Oscar winner said. “Playing Queen Elizabeth and sitting next to her, I thought, 'Maybe she’s seen the movie and wants to ask me about my interpretation.'"
But she ended up next to Prince Philip, who had a different question in mind. Blanchett continued, "I sat next to him and he said, 'I hear you’re an actor? I was given a DVD player for Christmas and I can’t work out whether I put the green cord in or the red cord...'"
She added with a laugh, "I thought, 'He’s invited me to lunch to tell me about his DVD player!'"
The actress was joined by her co-star, Jack Black, as they discussed their upcoming film, The House With a Clock in Its Walls, and why their kids still aren't impressed with their actor parents.
"They do and they don’t [watch my films,]" Blanchett said of her four children, Edith, Roman, Dashiell, and Ignatius, with husband Andrew Upton. "My son gave me some great career advice a few years ago, he said, ‘Mum, when are you going to make a blockbuster?'" When she explained that she had starred in one of the biggest film series of all time, he still wasn't impressed.
Blanchett explained, "I said, ‘I was in Lord of the Rings'! And he said, ‘Yeah for about 30 seconds.’ So it didn’t really count. I had no brownie points with my children."
Black, who has two sons with wife Tanya Haden, revealed they aren't big fans either.
"My boys, they actually prefer the work of Will Ferrell. I think it’s natural that kids think that their parents are really uncool and embarrassing," the 49-year-old actor said.
Apart from disinterested children, Black and Blanchett also share an upcoming milestone birthday, with both turning 50 next year. The two joked about turning "100 together" as Blanchett put it, and Black revealed he'd rather host than be a guest at a party.
"I don’t really like throwing parties for myself… My favorite birthday I ever had was my 40th birthday and I just did a concert with my pal, Kyle [Gass], a Tenacious D concert. I would much prefer to put on a show rather than throw a party. Parties make me anxious, I get nervous and I feel all worried, ‘Are people going to have fun at my party?’ If I just put on a show it takes care of all that. I put all my friends and family in the show, they are onstage with me feeling the energy and the adrenalin, that was the best birthday," Black said.
"Maybe we should put on a show?" Black offered to his co-star and she agreed.
For more of Black and Blanchett in the UK, watch The Jonathan Ross Show, airing Saturday at 9.45 p.m. on ITV. And for more from the stars, watch the video below.
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