Cate Blanchett's career began in 1992, when she appeared on stage, opposite Geoffrey Rush in the David Mamet play Oleanna for the Sydney Theatre Company. After a series of appearances on stage, she made her feature film debut with Paradise Road in 1997, opposite Glenn Close and Frances McDormand. And from there on, began one of the most prosperous film careers in recent memory.
Blanchett is known as one of the greatest actresses currently working in the film industry, having appeared in well over 50 films and over 20 theater productions, between her time in Australia and Broadway. She has received a slew of awards, including two Academy Awards, three BAFTA awards, and three Golden Globes (more on some of these roles in a moment). Her films have grossed over $9.8 billion at the box office, she’s received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and she’s been named by Time Magazine as one of the 100 most influential people in the world.
Blanchett has a wide variety of roles to her name and has appeared in everything from big-budget blockbusters to smaller-scale independent features, and has worked with some of the biggest directors in the industry, including Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg, David Fincher, and Wes Anderson. Her latest film, Where’d You Go, Bernadette, sees her teaming up with director Richard Linklater in a rare comedy for the actress as a woman who hates leaving her house yet somehow disappears one day.
To coincide with the release of Where’d you Go, Bernadette, here are five of Blanchett’s greatest films (in alphabetical order):
1) The Aviator
One of two films that earned Blanchett an Academy Award, this is worth mentioning simply for her spot-on portrayal of legendary actress Katherine Hepburn. Though The Aviator has so many more redeeming qualities to it other than how well famous figures are portrayed. The film is a riveting, haunting look at one man’s spiral into madness, focusing on Leonardo DiCaprio as the titular aviator, Howard Hughes, and his struggles with obsessive-compulsive disorder. While this is mostly DiCaprio’s movie, as many people come and go in his life due to his quick alienation of others, Blanchett is still a blast to watch here, as she really does a fantastic job in the screen time she does have, making it feel like the real Hepburn is on screen (there were multiple times when writing this where I almost typed “Hepburn” instead of “Blanchett”). While it was made at a time when there was a mass influx of biopics were being released, The Aviator soars.
2) Blue Jasmine
Despite the fact it was directed by a certain director with a troubled personal history (to say the least), Blue Jasmine is still a fantastic piece of work, carried almost exclusively by Blanchett’s standout performance. She would go on to win her second Academy Award for this role, and it’s well-deserved. Despite an ensemble supporting cast including Sally Hawkins, Alec Baldwin, and Peter Sarsgaard, this is very much Blanchett’s movie. The film is consistently very funny, filled with moments of pitch black humor thanks to its snappy dialogue. And while there’s plenty to laugh at, the film still manages to tell an emotional story about a very complex woman who, despite getting the best of someone who wronged her, still struggles with the outcome of what she’s done. A very subdued film, yet still full of emotions, Blue Jasmine is one of Blanchett’s finest works.
3) Carol
While Blanchett was only nominated for an Academy Award for this role (having unfortunately lost to Brie Larson for Room), it’s a shame as this is another wonderful showcase of her talents. Taking place in 1952 New York City, the film chronicles the forbidden romance between Blanchett as the titular character currently in the midst of a divorce and Rooney Mara, who plays an aspiring female photographer. The film is not only gorgeously filmed, thanks to a job well done by director Todd Haynes, but masterfully acted, with both Blanchett and Mara giving some of the finest performances of their careers, the two sharing some mesmerizing chemistry together. Despite a troubled production history, it’s a relief this film was able to see the light of day. Thanks to its tragic, timely themes, Carol is not only just a great film, but something of true cultural significance.
4) How to Train Your Dragon 2
Like the other two entries in the franchise, How to Train Your Dragon 2 is more of an ensemble piece, but what’s great about them is that nearly everyone in its small cast gets the time to shine in some way. This is Blanchett’s first outing in the trilogy, voicing Valka, the long lost wife of the series’ main character Hiccup (voiced by Jay Baruchel). One thing that makes all three How to Train Your Dragon movies such a joy to watch is their heavy emphasis on family themes, and despite being a movie about vikings and dragons, is filled with characters filled with such raw emotions that they feel all too real sometimes. Blanchett makes for an excellent addition to the main cast, and the film’s story line of integrating her back into the main characters’ lives is absolutely touching to watch. Seeing her reunite with her husband Stoic (voiced by Gerard Butler) is still one of the most emotional moments in the entire trilogy.
5) Thor: Ragnarok
While Blanchett is known for her many roles in grounded dramas, she’s had her fair share of time in the blockbuster realm - most notably in the Lord of the Rings trilogy - but this is her at her most fun. Thor: Ragnarok saw a reinvention of the famed Marvel character, transforming him from one of the more somber heroes in the Marvel Cinematic Universe to one of the funniest. And this film is packed with laughs, filled with plenty of over-the-top moments, including hilarious dialogue exchanges and totally bonkers action sequences. Blanchett portrays the villain of this film, Thor’s sister Hela, and she’s clearly having an absolute hell of a time as the character, grinning ear to ear as she leaves a trail of destruction in her wake. Blanchett’s energetic portrayal of Hela has put her up there as one of the better villains in the MCU, something which the franchise had a long, troubled history of never having, and she is without a doubt one of the reasons this is one of the finest entries in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
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