I was at lunch a week or so ago at Hugo’s and sat next to Cate Blanchett.

The amazing, adorable, sweet actress was there with her husband and two kids — visiting Los Angeles (I can only imagine) due to the shooting of Indiana Jones 4 which begins in the next 4 weeks. And while Cate and her family discussed what kinds of dessert they’d be ordering, I turned to look at her — thus using my inherent psychic abilities to hold a short non-verbal (but substantial) conversation using only facial expressions.

What you’ll read after “the jump” includes said conversation. Please be aware, since this is a psychic conversation, you can’t quote Cate or use her words in an unflattering way.

Me: [Eyebrow raise.] “Hi. Over here.”
Cate: [Furrowed brow.] “Uh… Huh! Who’s that?”
Me: [Head tilt, to the left.] “Over here. Next to you. Look to your left.”

[Cate looks to her left, I give her the eyebrow raise and the eye-ball widening.]

Me: [Extreme eyebrow raise and wink.] “Ah? Ah ha! Yeah. It’s me.”
Cate: [Extreme furrowed brow and squint.] “Um. Who are you?”
Me: [Smile.] “Paul Davidson. I’m sorry. I should have introduced myself first.”

[Cate looks at me since I'm staring at her, gives me a confused look, then looks away.]

Me: [Suck in cheeks, smile.] “Wait wait. I, um, just wanted to say you don’t look nearly as emaciated as all the tabloids are saying you look. In fact, good for you — you’re ordering ice cream sundaes!”
Cate: [Nods, smiling.] “Yeah, we promised the kids they could have some.”
Me: [Pretending to eat ice cream, rubbing stomach.] “I love ice cream. Yum.”

[Cate's husband notices the mugging, and turns to his wife...]

Cate’s Husband: [Furrowed brow.] “Who’s he?”
Cate: [Shrugs] “Some guy. Don’t know him.”
Me: [Nods] “Yeah, I was just saying-
Cate’s Husband: [Holds up fork, menacingly.] “Leave us alone.”
Me: [Surprised look} "What!?"
Cate: [Shakes head at husband.] “Oh, come on now. He’s harmless.”
Me: [Smiles] “See? Harmless.”
Cate’s Husband: [Puts down fork, smiles.] “Sorry.”
Me: [Nodding] “Tis ok.”
Cate: [Looks to children, motions for me to turn around.] “Nice to meet you.”
Me: [Quick wink] “You, too.”

Cate Blanchett and her family…well, they’re just tops in my book.

Never before have I had a facial-expression conversation like this with any celebrity before. Usually, celebs give you the [Scowl, look away] or the [Roll eyes, head tilt] — but not Ms. Blanchett.

I think it just goes to show you how classy she really is.