Since graduating from Australia’s National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA), CATE BLANCHETT has worked extensively in the theater. With Company B, a loose ensemble of actors including Geoffrey Rush, Gillian Jones and Richard Roxburgh based at Belvoir St. under the direction of Neil Armfield, her roles included Miranda (“The Tempest”), Ophelia (“Hamlet”—for which she was nominated for a Green Room Award), Nina (“The Seagull”) and Rose (“The Blind Giant is Dancing”).
For the Sydney Theatre Company (STC) she appeared in Caryl Churchill’s “Top Girls,” David Mamet’s “Oleanna” (awarded The Sydney Theater Critics Award for Best Actress), Michael Gow’s “Sweet Phoebe” (also for the Croyden Wearhouse, London) and Timothy Daly’s “Kafka Dances” (also for The Griffin Theatre Company), for which she received the Critics Circle Award for best newcomer.
For the Almeida Theatre in 1999, Cate played Susan Traheren in David Hare’s “Plenty” on London’s West End.
Her television credits include lead roles in “Bordertown” and “Heartland,” both for the Australian Broadcasting Commission.
Her film roles include Susan Macarthy in Bruce Beresford’s “Paradise Road,” Lizzie in “Thank God He Met Lizzie,” an anti-romantic comedy directed by Cherie Nowlan for which Cate was awarded both the Australian Film Institute (AFI) and the Sydney Film Critics Awards for Best Supporting Actress; and Lucinda in “Oscar and Lucinda,” opposite Ralph Fiennes and directed by Gillian Armstrong, a role that earned her an AFI nomination for Best Actress.
In 1998, Cate portrayed Queen Elizabeth I in the critically-acclaimed “Elizabeth,” directed by Shekhar Kapur, for which she received a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Drama and a BAFTA for Best Actress in a Leading Role as well as Best Actress Awards from The Chicago Film Critics Association, The London Film Critics Association, On-line Film Critics, Variety Critics and UK Empire Award. She also received a Best Actress nomination from the Screen Actors Guild and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences.
In 1999, Cate appeared in “Pushing Tin” with John Cusack, a black comedy about air traffic controllers directed by Mike Newell; “An Ideal Husband” directed by Oliver Parker; and “The Talented Mr. Ripley,” directed by Anthony Minghella for which she received a BAFTA nomination for Best Supporting Actress. Cate also starred in “The Gift,” directed by Sam Raimi, and in Sally Potter’s “The Man Who Cried,” which premiered at the Venice Film Festival and for which Cate was awarded “Best Supporting Actress” by the Florida Critics Circle.
In 200l, Cate appeared in “Bandits” with Bruce Willis and Billy Bob Thornton, and directed by Barry Levinson, for which she received a Golden Globe Award nomination and a Screen Actors Guild nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress. She was also seen as “Galadriel,” Queen of the Elves, in “Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring,” the first installment of Peter Jackson’s trilogy based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s fantasy novels. Cate was honored by the National Board Review as the 2001 “Best Supporting Actress” for her outstanding supporting performances in “Bandits,” “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring,” and “The Shipping News.” She reprised her role as “Galadriel” in 2002 for the second installment of the trilogy, “Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers” and the final installment, “Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King,” which will be released in December 2003.
In 2002, Cate was also seen in the title role of “Charlotte Gray,” directed by Gillian Armstrong and based on Sebastian Faulks’ best-selling novel. Cate has also appeared in “The Shipping News,” alongside Kevin Spacey and directed by Lasse Hallstrom, based on the 1994 Pulitzer Prizewinning novel by Annie Proulx, and “Heaven,” opposite Giovanni Ribisi and directed by Tom Tykwer, which premiered at the Berlin Film Festival.
Upcoming, Cate will be seen starring in the Warner Brothers’ western thriller, “The Missing,” opposite Tommy Lee Jones for director Ron Howard. The film is scheduled for a December 2003 release.
Cate will next begin production in the Howard Hughes biopic “The Aviator,” for director Martin Scorsese, followed by “Closer” for director Mike Nichols, based on the play by Patrick Marber.
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