Jeff Goldblum Recalls Getting Choked Up Over 'Thor: Ragnarok' Co-Star Cate Blanchett’s Powerful Performance-“I just burst...”

Published 04/15/2025, 1:31 AM EDT

Hollywood's beloved eccentric Jeff Goldblum, maestro of the quirked eyebrow and philosophical pause, has charmed audiences for decades with his delightfully offbeat persona. The man who showed his fans that chaos could be captivating now admits he is not immune to being emotionally blindsided by artistic brilliance. Behind that trademark nervous laugh and jazzy demeanor lies a heart that melts when exposed to genuine theatrical magic, a fact made abundantly clear during his encounter with fellow Thor: Ragnarok luminary Cate Blanchett.

While Jeff Goldblum is renowned for his eccentric charm, even he could not escape the emotional pull of a powerful theatre performance, as he vulnerably revealed in a recent interview.

Jeff Goldblum moved to tears by Cate Blanchett’s stage performance

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During a candid conversation on the SmartLess podcast, Jeff Goldblum unveiled his unexpectedly tender side. The lanky legend recounted visiting London, where he witnessed Cate Blanchett command the stage in Anton Chekhov's The Seagull with such mesmerizing power that his composure shattered completely. Venturing backstage post-performance, Hollywood's king of cool crumbled into emotional pudding. "I just burst, I blubbered," he confessed, his trademark staccato delivery momentarily overwhelmed. "I do that too when I see something great, I really get moved."

Though they orbited in the same cinematic universe during Thor: Ragnarok, Jeff Goldblum never shared screen time with Cate Blanchett, making his visceral reaction to her stage presence all the more striking. His tearful backstage meltdown revealed the jazz pianist-turned-actor's profound appreciation for transcendent artistry. Behind the quirky glasses and distinctive speech patterns lurks a soul deeply moved by authentic creative expression, a refreshing glimpse beneath the carefully cultivated Goldblum mystique that fans have adored for decades.

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While Jeff Goldblum burst into tears over his Thor: Ragnarok co-star, Cate Blanchett, their history together goes way back to an aquatic tale where there was already plenty of waterworks.

The curious case of Jeff Goldblum and Cate Blanchett’s onscreen crossings

Their professional paths first crossed in Wes Anderson's whimsical 2004 adventure, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, where Jeff Goldblum embodied the pompous oceanographer Alistair Hennessey while Cate Blanchett portrayed pregnant journalist Jane Winslett-Richardson. Though competing for narrative attention amid Anderson's meticulously crafted universe and Bill Murray's deadpan captain, both actors infused their roles with the distinctive nuance that would later make them standouts in the Marvel cosmos.

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The genesis of their artistic appreciation blossomed in surprisingly luxurious circumstances, as Jeff Goldblum later revealed to Vulture. Their first meeting unfolded at Gore Vidal's sumptuous villa in the South of France, where Cate Blanchett immediately struck him as "spectacular." Years later, despite occupying different corners of Taika Waititi's technicolor Thor playground, Goldblum seized opportunities between takes to observe Blanchett's transformative work as Hela, goddess of death, a performance that cemented his admiration for her formidable talent and delightful humor.

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What do you think of Jeff Goldblum getting all misty-eyed over Cate Blanchett’s stage brilliance? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

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Shraddha

333 articles

Shraddha is a content chameleon with 3 years of experience, expertly juggling entertainment and non-entertainment writing, from scriptwriting to reporting. Having penned over 2,000 articles, she’s covered everything from Hollywood’s glitzy drama to the latest pop culture trends. With a knack for telling stories that keep readers hooked, Shraddha thrives on dissecting celebrity scandals and cultural moments.

Edited By: Itti Mahajan

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