Blanchett accepts 15 million yen Japan award

Cate Blanchett received 15 million yen, just under $100,000, on Wednesday as she accepted Japan’s Praemium Imperiale. The cash honorarium accompanies a medal and a testimonial letter awarded by the Japan Art Association. The ceremony took place at the Meiji Kinenkan in the Moto-Akasaka district of Tokyo.

The Praemium Imperiale recognizes lifetime achievement in painting, sculpture, architecture, music, and theater or film. Often called the Nobel Prize of the arts, the award has a history of honoring major figures in cinema. Past recipients in the theater and film categories include Federico Fellini, Akira Kurosawa, Jean-Luc Godard, Martin Scorsese, Judi Dench, and Catherine Deneuve. Director Ang Lee, the most recent Hollywood-associated recipient, took the prize in 2024.

Blanchett used a pre-ceremony news conference to discuss the role of uncertainty in her work. She described doubt as a vital component of the creative process, arguing that it drives questioning and allows for change. She noted that in a world she characterized as having unthinking certainty, that doubt enables conversation and connection.

In her acceptance speech, Blanchett referenced surrealist artist Leonora Carrington. She described acting as a profession that can sink into literalness but also leave audiences speechless. She explained that her work often focuses on the gap between what a character says and what they fail to convey. She stated that she looks for meaning in the spaces between words and in the things people wish they had said or not said.

The actress addressed how her profession interacts with gender perceptions. She said that the doubt she carries about fully communicating is often interpreted as a lack of confidence by those around her. She clarified that this doubt is her artistic starting point, allowing her to hear, see, and sense. She linked this process to the courage and rigor required to take artistic risks over a long career.

Former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton attended the press conference as the prize’s U.S. international adviser. Clinton serves on the international advisory network that recommends candidates to the Japan Art Association. She argued that the prize makes a global declaration that artists are essential pillars of society. Clinton said the role of the arts has become more critical amid threats to democratic values and the rise of artificial intelligence. She called for bolstering the arts while rein in the risks of technology.

This year’s other laureates include American artist Jenny Holzer, British sculptor Andy Goldsworthy, American architect Daniel Libeskind, and Swedish conductor Herbert Blomstedt. Princess Hitachi presented Blanchett with her medal during the black-tie ceremony.

Blanchett’s Tokyo schedule continues at the 39th Tokyo International Film Festival, which runs through Nov. 4. On Friday, she is scheduled to join filmmakers Mohammad Rasoulof and Shahrbanoo Sadat for a Q&A following the Japanese premieres of five shorts supported by the Displacement Film Fund. That same day, she will also appear with directors David and Nathan Zellner for a discussion accompanying their film Alpha Gang.