by Murtada
Do you watch Documentary Now? It’s a parody of documentaries on the IFC TV channel. It's also very funny and note perfect. At least according to several friends who chimed in when I asked the question about it on twitter. The show's stars Fred Armisen and Bill Hader (who are also the executive producers) and it’s hosted by Dame Helen Mirren. Now they’ve got another Oscar-winning actress who has been a British royal onscreen to guest star in an upcoming episode: Cate Blanchett.
Blanchett on set in Budapest
Blanchett will play a Marina Abramovic-type performance artist in an episode titled “Waiting for the Artist”. It will be a parody of the 2012 documentary Marina Abramovic: The Artist is Present. Cate will play Izabella Barta as she prepares for a major exhibition and deals with a former lover Dimo Van Omen (Fred Armisen). Not only is Cate taking on a comedic role and riffing on a real-life person, she even did her own stunts.
Of course Cate is no stranger to art projects, though somewhat more serious than this. Remember Manifesto? It was an installation that toured many museums around the world before becoming a film. And of course she's shown us that she can be funny, so this seems right up her alley. The new seven-episode season of Documentary Now! is set to premiere on February 20. Will you be watching?