Cate Blanchett discusses what the cat in Alfonso Cuarón’s AppleTV+ series “Disclaimer” really signifies. Blanchett, who plays Catherine Ravenscroft in the thriller, debunks that Cuarón intends to tell the audience about “control” using the cat. She then talks about human life, adding that despite being “so out of control,” we feel the need to get a hold of our lives. However, when humans adopt pet animals, it only creates more chaos.
Cuarón’s thoughtful use of cats adds a layer of chaos to ‘Disclaimer’
Cate Blanchett and Alfonso Cuarón discussed the symbolic meaning of the cat in “Disclaimer.” According to The Hollywood Reporter, Blanchett reveals that by “introducing an animal” in the thriller series, Cuarón added a layer of “organized chaos” to it. She claims that people think “we need to control all of our lives, when, in fact, we are so monumentally out of control.” The actor believes humans are already “out of control in the world” right now, yet they add pet animals to these “really controlled environments” only to “have organized chaos all the time.”
While shooting the fish deboning scene in “Disclaimer,” Blanchett recalls asking herself, “Why is the cat there?” but then realizes director Cuarón’s intention behind introducing the animal in that particular scene. Blanchett’s character, Catherine Ravenscroft, attempts to deal with her playful cat while deboning a fish. The addition of the feline, who is determined to make Ravenscroft’s life more difficult, thus adds an extra layer of complexity to the scene.
Blanchett thinks using the cat in “Disclaimer” was a “really interesting, really subtle way of watching these people constantly [in chaos].” Cuarón also quips, “It was incredible to see Cate suffering,” as her character tries to take away the cat and then continues to cook. Moreover, he blames Blanchett for breaking the cat, who “ended up doing whatever Cate wanted.”
In addition to disclosing the cat’s significance in “Disclaimer,” Blanchett reveals that she is an avid animal lover. The 55-year-old herself has two cats, four dogs, and six chickens at home.
