Edgar Wright’s comedy movie Hot Fuzz has a brilliant cast, with the likes of Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Olivia Colman, and Paddy Considine in key roles. However, the cast is even more stacked than you might initially realise, thanks to some clever little cameos in the 2000s movie, including none other than Cate Blanchett.
Hot Fuzz is the second instalment in Wright’s beloved Cornetto Trilogy and is widely considered one of the funniest movies of the 21st Century. The cop comedy is endlessly quotable, probably helped by the fact it airs on UK television pretty much every week. The action movie parody is helped by its talented cast, with performers such as Bill Nighy, Martin Freeman, and James Bond actor Timothy Dalton also making appearances.
You might not have noticed however, that there are lots more famous faces hidden among the cast. Believe it or not, Oscar winning actor and Hollywood superstar Cate Blanchett has a fleeting appearance in the satirical detective movie, which is almost impossible to spot.
Blanchett may be more familiar with leading the line in some of the best movies of all time, but she stepped into the background for Hot Fuzz. The Lord of the Rings actor shows up in one of the first scenes in the movie, where she plays Nicholas Angel’s (Simon Pegg) ex-girlfriend.
In an interview with About.com, Wright explained the idea of Blanchett’s character having her face covered by a crime scene investigation mask was all part of the joke. “Let’s get an Oscar winner in there but not see her face,” Wright said.
Apparently, Blanchett was a big fan of Wright’s previous film, the zombie movie Shaun of the Dead, and was more than happy to get in on the joke for Hot Fuzz. She was paid for the role, but gave the money to charity.
Funnily enough, Blanchett wasn’t the only Middle-earther to pop in Hot Fuzz. Peter Jackson, the director of The Lord of the Rings movies, has a cameo too. He is the guy dressed as Santa who stabs Angel in the hand.