Cate Blanchett Left Bloodied in Fight Scene on Theater Stage

Oscar-winning Cate Blanchett suffered what seems to be a serious head injury during a confrontation scene for the play “A Streetcar Named Desire” on stage at a Sydney theater, the Daily Mail writes. The actress plays Blanche DuBois and was injured when co-star Joel Edgerton, who plays Stanley Kowalski, accidentally hit her in the head with a radio, which he was supposed to throw out a window. Producers had to cancel the representation.

The incident occurred during a scripted confrontation scene that had Stanley (a part made legendary by Marlon Brando) raise his voice at Blance and then hurl a radio out the window. However, actor Edgerton’s aim was not good, so he hit Blanchett in the head with the prop. Cate fell to the floor, reports say, covering her head, but the audience could see there was blood streaming from where she had been hit.

Surprisingly enough, Blanchett attempted to continue with the performance, but realized she needed help, as she tried to walk up a flight of stairs and became dizzy. It was then that she left the stage and did not return. Minutes later, the producers announced that that night’s performance was canceled because a cast member had been injured. No further details were offered, but, given what had happened on stage just minutes before, none was really necessary.

“An hour into the performance there was a physical confrontation as part of the script between Joel and Cate and in the process of throwing a prop, a radio, the radio hit Cate on the side of the head. After that, there was an announcement made that a cast member had been injured and the show was called off for the night.” a member of the audience says for the Mail.

Julia Cassuven, another eyewitness, claims that many did not even realize that what had just happened was not part of the script. Producers did not make it any easier for them to understand either. “No one really knew what was going on. They said there would be a brief interval because of a technical difficult and we all left. Then later on a person came out about 10 minutes later saying that the show couldn’t go on because a member of the cast had been injured.” Cassuven says for the same publication.

A rep for Blanchett has confirmed that she sustained some injuries during the performance, but has assured fans that she will resume her part very soon.