Todd Field's TÁR stars Cate Blanchett as the titular conductor whose reputation falls apart after she becomes exposed for misconduct in a post #MeToo landscape. Cate Blanchett was awarded the Volpi Cup for Best Actress at the film's world premiere at the 79th Venice International Film Festival. The film was written, directed, and produced by three-time Academy Award nominee Todd Field. Featuring a star-studded supporting cast, the movie was released in select theaters by Focus Features on October 7, 2022, followed by a wide release on October 28.
The story follows Lydia Tár, who we first meet just as she's at the peak of her success conducting for the Berlin Orchestra. Highly regarded as one of the best living composers, in an interview, Lydia reveals that her next big project will be a live recording of Mahler's 5th Symphony. Everything looks like it's going according to plan until Tár's past sexual misconduct comes to light after Krista Taylor, a promising young conductor she used to mentor, takes her own life. Tár's whole world falls apart as she faces a reckoning for her actions and watches as everything she's ever worked for slips from her fingers.
Director Todd Field is perhaps best known for his previous movies In the Bedroom (2001) and Little Children (2006). With TÁR, it looks like the filmmaker is set to recreate his past success, with the movie receiving widespread acclaim from critics and performing admirably at the box office. If you're curious about the terrific cast behind these layered, complex characters, look below to find out more.
Cate Blanchett as Lydia Tár
Blanchett breathes life into Lydia Tár, a highly successful musical genius who can't help but step on others to achieve her own ends. She's the virtuoso head conductor of the Berlin Orchestra with big plans. She's a self-proclaimed U-Haul lesbian with a wife, Sharon, and an adorable kid, Petra (Mila Bogojevic). Unfortunately, her misconduct leads to her losing everyone she holds dear.
Blanchett is an Academy Award-winning actress, having won Best Supporting Actress for The Aviator and Best Actress for Blue Jasmine. She is also the most Academy Award-nominated Australian with seven nominations in total. She is widely known for her role as Galadriel in The Lord of the Rings franchise and Hela, the villain in Thor: Ragnarok. Not only that, but she has starred in Elizabeth, The Talented Mr. Ripley, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, Ocean's Eight, Nightmare Alley, and Don't Look Up.
Noémie Merlant as Francesca Lentini
French cinema darling, Noémie Merlant, stars as Tár's assistant and aspiring conductor, Francesca Lentini. Francesca ensures everything in Lydia's life runs smoothly and goes as planned. Francesca works tirelessly for Lydia because she's motivated by the promise that someday she will work alongside Lydia as her assistant conductor. But when Lydia picks another candidate instead of Francesca to fill an assistant conductor vacancy, Francesca quits and betrays her former boss to the authorities investigating the death of aspiring conductor Krista Taylor. Merlant is known for her Lumières Award-winning role in the beloved Portrait of a Lady on Fire, in which she portrays a portrait painter engaging in a forbidden romance with her subject. She was also nominated for a César Award for her breakthrough role in 2016's Heaven Will Wait.
Nina Hoss as Sharon Goodnow
Nina Hoss plays Sharon Goodnow, Tár's chronically ill wife and the Berlin Orchestra's concertmaster. They share a palatial home and an adorable daughter named Petra. Sharon has long stood by Lydia's side, turning a blind eye to her indiscretions and affairs, but things take a turn when the allegations against Lydia are made public. Sharon feels like she doesn't know who Lydia is anymore and begins to question everything, including the life they've built together. Hoss is a critically-acclaimed actress who has starred in films like A Woman Named Rosemary, Yella, and Barbara. She is also a series regular in Season 3 of Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan on Prime Video.
Sophie Kauer as Olga Metkina
Olga Metkina is a young Russian cellist who catches Tár's eye before she auditions for the Berlin Orchestra. Lydia pursues her attraction to the talented cellist, giving her special favors like solos and trips to America. Amid all the allegations, Lydia tries to groom Olga, but Olga is a spitfire who can't be easily manipulated and doesn't fall for any of her tactics. In her first film role, Sophie Kauer is infectious and vibrant as Olga, and hopefully, she will continue to appear on the big screen.
Julian Glover as Andris Davis
Throughout the film, Lydia often meets with her mentor and former conductor of the Berlin Orchestra, Andris Davis. He's a man with a fondness for the past, just like Tár. Andris laments that the Berlin Orchestra company doesn't take care of him nearly as well as they used to. He also disagrees with Tár's dismissal of Sebastian, his former assistant conductor.
Julian Glover has had a long, storied career in film, television, and on the stage. He has starred in a host of popular titles including The Empire Strikes Back, For Your Eyes Only, The Fourth Protocol, and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. He also had a recurring role as Grand Maester Pycelle on HBO's Game of Thrones and voiced the giant spider Aragog in Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets.
Allan Corduner as Sebastian Brix
Sebastian is the elderly assistant conductor of the Berlin Orchestra, who Tár often refers to as a robot. His ideas often put him at odds with Tár's more forward-thinking tendencies, so much so that Tár fires him without a vote from the rest of the Orchestra and thus upends his entire livelihood. He is heartbreakingly portrayed by British actor Allan Corduner, easily recognized for voicing many BBC radio plays, audiobooks, and tv documentaries. He made his film debut in Yentl alongside Barbra Streisand.
Mark Strong as Eliot Kaplan
Eliot Kaplan, as played by Mark Strong, is first introduced to the audience asking Tár for conducting advice and lavishing her with compliments. However, as the movie progresses, their friendship sours. As Lydia falls from grace, Eliot swoops in and replaces her for the live recording of Mahler's 5th Symphony, which enrages her and leads her on a downward spiral.
Strong is another acclaimed actor who has appeared in a steady stream of popular roles, such as the evil Dr. Sivana in Shazam! and Merlin in the Kingsman franchise. He is also known for his roles in Miss Sloane alongside Jessica Chastain and in The Imitation Game alongside Benedict Cumberbatch.