Heavy metal fans riled by Cate Blanchett's comments to Margot Robbie about the genre

Fans of the heavy metal genre have been rocked (sorry) by comments made by The Lord of the Rings and Thor: Ragnarok actress Cate Blanchett, who shared a conversation on music with Suicide Squad actress Margot Robbie on The Graham Norton Show.

On this week’s edition of the popular BBC talk show, Robbie revealed she “definitely” had a “very emo” phase growing up, which seemed to interest Blanchett.

The Harley Quinn: Birds of Prey star – who’s currently starring in Babylon and is also set to play Barbie in a movie later this year – said: “I’d listen to really heavy metal music and I would dye my hair black and only cut it with a razor blade.”

Fascinated, Blanchett asked: “Does anyone like heavy metal music? Was that something you genuinely liked?”

Robbie confirmed she does “genuinely” like the genre, which prompted the fellow Australian to respond: “Do you like monster trucks and things like that?”

Thankfully Robbie wasn’t put off by the bizarre question, and continued: “Yeah, I really like it. I remember going to a Slipknot concert and the most I’ve ever been [on] at the time was Neighbours.

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“I have never had more people come up to me ever than at a Slipknot concert. The crossover between… It wasn’t monster trucks and Slipknot, it was Neighbours and Slipknot.”

While the audience laughed at Robbie’s anecdote on the programme, Twitter users weren’t laughing when it came to Blanchett’s comments, which have been branded “patronising” and “condescending”.

“As a metalhead, this is the worst thing I’ve ever heard someone ask about metal,” wrote one.

Another joked: “Cate Blanchett coming out of this sounding like a grandma that thinks music died with Elvis.”

“The disrespect from Cate Blanchett actually blew my mind. She always seemed like a graceful and accepting person but the whole ‘does anybody actually like heavy metal?’

“Like damn, Galadriel [her Lord of the Rings character], thought you were better than that,” replied a third.

Blanchett has been approached by The Independent for comment.

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