Variety Magazine Celebrates the Power of Women with Janelle Monáe, Patti LuPone and Cate Blanchett

The actresses opened up about charity work, the future of America and the LGBTQIA+ community
Variety Magzine
Sara Feigin10 June 2020

Janelle Monáe, Patti LuPone and Cate Blanchett are the faces of 2020's Variety Magazine Power of Women issue, a yearly project celebrating women in Hollywood.

The three women have made waves in Hollywood in their own individual ways.

Monáe started her career as a singer and has eight Grammy awards under her belt.

Over the past few years, Monae has made strides into the acting world by starring in projects such as Hidden Figures and Moonlight.

Variety Magazine

Monáe's latest project is the Amazon series Homecoming and horror film Antebellum, which is due to be released this summer.

In her interview with Variety Monáe, spoke about her role in Homecoming and how - as a member of the LGBTQIA+ community herself - she felt about playing a character in a relationship with another woman.

“To have a black woman and an Asian woman in a relationship on TV is the type of representation that we need. Being a member of the LGBTQIA+ community is an honor.”

The actress also spoke on Donald Trump and the Black Live Matter protests in the wake of George Floyd's death. Saying that “this administration, along with the president, they’re evil.”

Variety Magazine

LuPone is Broadway royalty who began her career in the 1970s. She has starred in productions such as Evita, Oliver!, Les Mis and Gypsy (to name a few), and countless TV shows, most recently Netflix drama Hollywood.

She was starring in a Broadway production of Company when the coronavirus pandemic struck. Lupone was told they'd be back to business in two to three weeks.

“Now they say Broadway will be shuttered until Labor Day" she said, "Well, we all know that’s not true. I think it’s going to come back at the earliest in January and maybe not even then. It’s very, very depressing and very worrisome.”

“This country is doomed" she said, when asked about her feelings on Donald Trump, "I think it is a failed experiment. I don’t see us pulling ourselves out of this. I think we’re heading into either fascism or a dictatorship. I think Trump will win a second term, and I think I’ll move to Ireland."

Variety Magazine

Blanchett began her acting career on stage in her home country of Australia in the 1990s. She's gone on to star in films such as Carol, The Lord of The Rings Trilogy, Cinderella and Thor: Ragnarok, as well as TV series, most recently Mrs. America on Hulu.

She spoke with Variety about her UN Refugee Agency ambassador role and the Covid-19 Pandemic. “In my heart, I’m also [thinking of] UNHCR staff who’ve remained in the field, away from their families, delivering services at great threat to themselves. I’m full of admiration for them.”

Blanchett is also Jury President for the Venice Film Festival which is set to run at the beginning of September.

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