For nearly two decades, Cate Blanchett has been unabashedly vocal about her intense disdain for one of the most innocuous-seeming—but in practice infuriating—garden tools: the leaf blower. And she is far from alone. From Hugh Grant to Danny DeVito, Hollywood’s elite have joined in an unusual alliance of contempt for the device, proving that even the glittering world of movie stars is not immune to the relentless hum of this small but mighty nuisance.
The saga of Blanchett’s antipathy dates back to 2007, when she first spoke on the topic in a W Magazine interview, ambiguously labeling leaf blowers as “everything that is wrong with the human race.” Since then, she has revisited the topic repeatedly across interviews, talk shows, and press tours. Whether she was feasting on chicken wings on Hot Ones, appearing on Subway Takes, attending the red carpet for Where’d You Go, Bernadette, or promoting Black Bag, Blanchett has spared no effort in expressing her distaste. Her commentary has ranged from the wryly humorous—“If you see someone with a leaf blower, doesn’t your blood pressure go up?”—to the outright declarative: “I hate them so much.”
Blanchett’s fervent opinions have inspired internet compilations, memes, and even sketches, such as one with her Borderlands co-star Gina Gershon, demonstrating that her irritation is now part of her public persona. “I talk about them all the time,” she has admitted, acknowledging that the leaf blower has become an obsession worthy of repeated discussion. Her celebrity co-conspirators include Michael Fassbender, who has cheekily lamented, “Bring back the rake!” and Danny DeVito, whose rant on Lovett or Leave It outlined his disdain in operatic detail: “And then their gardener blows them back to you. And on a Saturday? Fuck you, man.”
Hugh Grant has taken an even more extreme stance, describing leaf blowers as a personal pet peeve and telling Seth Meyers, “Anyone who uses a leaf blower, or hires anyone else to use a leaf blower, should have it rectally inserted.” Grant has also tweeted in 2018 that this policy would be enacted “when I am prime minister.” Ricky Gervais and Teri Hatcher round out the list of famous detractors, citing environmental concerns, noise pollution, and early-morning annoyance as their main grievances.
The antipathy toward leaf blowers is not limited to celebrity disdain. Los Angeles has long been a battleground for noise and environmental regulations. Beverly Hills banned gas-powered leaf blowers in 1978, followed by West Hollywood in 1986, Santa Monica in 1991, and Los Angeles itself in 1998, which prohibited blowers within 500 feet of residential property. These campaigns were often led by prominent figures, including actor Peter Graves and Julie Newmar, the original on-screen Catwoman. Newmar’s efforts included playing Mozart at high volume, donning industrial earmuffs, distributing leaflets advocating for traditional tools, and ultimately threatening to relocate to New Zealand. Meredith Baxter, star of Family Ties, also supported these initiatives, citing concerns over pesticides, fungi, and airborne animal waste stirred up by the blowers.
In 2024, California governor Gavin Newsom issued a statewide ban on the sale of new gas-powered leaf blowers and other small off-road engines, known as SOREs. While resale of existing units and electric models remains legal, enforcement remains a challenge, especially in sprawling urban areas where offending blowers often disappear before authorities can intervene.
The environmental and health impacts of leaf blowers are substantial. Traditional models emit carcinogens, carbon monoxide, and nitrous oxide, with leaking fuel further affecting soil and wildlife. Karen Jubanyik, an associate professor at Yale School of Medicine, categorizes lawn equipment as among the “greatest polluters” in the United States. Cate Blanchett has repeatedly emphasized the environmental harm, citing studies that show half an hour of leaf blower use produces pollution equivalent to driving a pickup truck from Texas to Alaska.
The devices also pose serious risks to human health. Leaf blowers can generate noise levels up to 112 decibels—louder than a rock concert and not far behind a jet taking off. The World Health Organization warns that sustained exposure above 85 decibels can cause permanent hearing loss. Beyond hearing, noise triggers physiological stress responses, as explained by Charlotte Clark, a professor of environmental epidemiology at City St George’s, University of London. Prolonged exposure activates the amygdala, increasing cortisol and adrenaline levels, hyper-stimulating the sympathetic nervous system, and contributing to cardio-metabolic diseases such as diabetes, heart attacks, and strokes. Mental health consequences, including depression, anxiety, sensory overload, and cognitive decline, are also linked to excessive noise, particularly when the activity causing it is perceived as unnecessary—a factor Blanchett, Gervais, and DeVito frequently highlight.
Despite the uproar from homeowners and environmental advocates, landscaping companies and workers defend leaf blowers, emphasizing the efficiency of the machines in maintaining large lawns, particularly in a water-conscious state like California. Many current workers are low-paid, often Latino immigrants, who rely on blowers for both speed and productivity. Electric alternatives exist, but battery disposal presents further environmental concerns. In 1998, workers from the Association of Latin American Gardeners of Los Angeles staged a hunger strike to oppose proposed punitive measures against leaf blower use, mitigating some consequences but leaving the ban largely intact.
Leaf blowers have even inspired filmmakers. Alejandro Iglesias’ Sopladora de Hojas (Leaf Blower) explores teenage adventures amid leaf piles, while Nowness’ Leafblowers short film amplifies the machine’s noise for dramatic effect. Similarly, Leaf Blower Massacre and its sequel pay homage to horror classics, showing the device’s cultural permeation. Behind the camera, leaf blowers are indispensable for creating wind effects in films, from the plastic bag scene in American Beauty to high-fashion photoshoots, demonstrating their utility even amid widespread disdain.
Interestingly, leaf blowers have even been adapted for protest, as in a recent Los Angeles demonstration where anti-ICE protesters wielded the machines to disperse tear gas. Amid all this, David Oyelowo provides a rare voice of calm, recounting his late father’s enjoyment of the devices in a humorous anecdote on The Daily Show. Yet, for the fervent anti-blower contingent, particularly Blanchett, such tales are unlikely to sway her opinion.
Cate Blanchett’s long-standing, impassioned campaign against leaf blowers is a curious intersection of celebrity, environmental advocacy, and noise pollution awareness. Her stance, shared by many high-profile figures and supported by scientific research, demonstrates that even small, everyday devices can provoke outsized cultural and societal responses. Whether on film sets, protest lines, or suburban streets, the leaf blower remains one of Hollywood’s most unlikely yet enduring obsessions.
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