Cate Blanchett has portrayed numerous influential women in her career, from Queen Elizabeth I to Katharine Hepburn. Now, she’s taking on the iconic Martha Stewart.
Yes, the Australian Oscar-winning actress is set to take on one of the most recognisable women in modern lifestyle media, stepping into the role of Martha Stewart in an upcoming biopic titled Good Thing.
The film, confirmed by Variety, will be directed by Janicza Bravo, best known for her critically acclaimed work on Zola. The project’s title is a nod to Marth’s famously understated catchphrase: “It’s a good thing”.
Martha Stewart herself has acknowledged that the project is already generating buzz. Speaking on the red carpet at a New York gala, she revealed she had been “hearing rumours” about the film and Cate Blanchett’s involvement, casually confirming the working title in the process.
The story will trace Martha’s extraordinary rise during the 1990s and early 2000s, when she dominated the lifestyle space with her magazine Martha Stewart Living and Emmy-winning television show Martha Stewart Living. At the height of her influence, her media company, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, went public in 1999, a move that cemented her status as America’s first self-made female billionaire.
But the film is also expected to explore the more complex chapters of her life. In 2004, Martha was convicted on charges including conspiracy and obstruction of justice following the sale of shares in ImClone Systems. She ultimately served five months in prison, a fall from grace that, paradoxically, became part of her enduring public narrative.
For Cate Blanchett, the role feels like a natural fit. As mentioned, the two-time Oscar winner has built a career playing formidable, complex women with precision and depth. From monarchs to musicians and Irish crime journalists, she has a track record of inhabiting real-life figures with striking authenticity.
The screenplay comes from Ricky Tollman, with Cate Blanchett also producing alongside her Dirty Films partner Coco Francini, as well as Randy Manis and Neil Dodson.
Stay tuned for more information on Good Thing including its release date, cast list and more!
