Harvey Weinstein Betting Own Life On Blanchett’s Oscar Chances

Harvey Weinstein, seasonal mounter of bloody, take-no-prisoners Oscar campaigns that leave scores of voters forever scarred by his onslaught, knows that it’s never to early to start For Your Consideration pimping for his beloved talent. In a NY Times story about the strategically slow rollout of I’m Not There, the Bob Dylan biopic (trailer here for the curious) in which the musician is portrayed by no fewer than 700 different actors, Weinstein threatens suicide if his favourite Dylan isn’t recognised by the Academy:

He said he also planned to position Ms. Blanchett, who plays Mr. Dylan during his “Blonde on Blonde” phase, for an Oscar. (Mr. Bale corresponds to “The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan,” Mr. Ledger to “John Wesley Harding.”)

“I may be jumping the gun,” Mr. Weinstein said, “but if Cate Blanchett doesn’t get nominated, I’ll shoot myself.”

Blanchett probably shouldn’t take this dramatic declaration of loyalty too literally; after all, once Gwyneth Paltrow failed to earn a nomination for Proof, he somehow found the emotional fortitude to remove the shotgun barrel from his mouth, opting to live and fight Academy members another day. Still, maybe he really means it this time: if Weinstein can’t get a former Oscar winner a shot at another trophy by stunt-casting her as one of the most beloved male musicians of a generation, perhaps a self-inflicted gunshot wound would be preferable to admitting he’s lost his touch.

[Photo: Weinstein Co via NYT]

• Dylan Movie to Open Like a Rolling Premiere [NY Times]