Cate Blanchettis back on the Oscar race with Todd Field’sTÁR, an intense psychological character drama. The film marks Blanchett’s eighth Oscar nomination and could very well give her a third statuette, making her one of the select few individuals to have three acting Oscars.
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In her thirty-year career, Blanchett has delivered multiple brilliant performances, with some ranking among the all-time best. Her eight Oscar nominations are proof of her versatility and power as a performer and the ultimate confirmation that she is among her generation’s best actresses; even so, some are most definitely better than others.
8’Elizabeth: The Golden Age' — Best Actress, 2008
Elizabeth: The Golden Ageis the 2007 sequel to 1998’sElizabeth.The plot centers on the English monarch’s war against Spain, her romantic dalliances with Sir Walter Raleigh, and her discovery of a plot hatched by her cousin, Mary Queen of Scots.
Blanchett is at her most Oscar-baity inThe Golden Age. She yells, monologues, rages, and emotes to remind audiences that she, too, can command the wind, sir.The Golden Ageis the closest Blanchett has ever come to overacting, and it shows. It’s not a bad performance by any measure, but considering 2007 was an embarrassment of riches for the Lead Actress category, some of her fellow contenders might’ve been better picks — mainlyAmy AdamsinEnchantedorKeira KnightleyinAtonement.
7’Notes On A Scandal' — Best Supporting Actress, 2007
Blanchett co-stars opposite fellow Oscar-winnerJudi Denchin 2006’sNotes on a Scandal, one ofthe all-time best psychological thrillers. The story centers on the unlikely and awkward friendship between an older and manipulative English teacher and a younger, dissatisfied art teacher having an affair with a fifteen-year-old student.
Dench delivers arguably the best performance of her career as the icy, biting, cunning Barbara Covett. For her part, Blanchett is perfect as Dench’s foil: the insecure, weak Sheba Hart. It’s not always that Blanchett plays such a meek role, but she knocks it out of the park. However,Notes on a Scandalis Dench’s movie through and through, with the veteran English actress delivering a scathing portrayal of bitterness that is one of her finest hours.
6’The Aviator' — Best Supporting Actress, 2005
Martin Scorsese’sThe Aviatortells the story of eccentric millionaireHoward Hughes, chronicling his aviation career and journey into motion pictures.Leonardo DiCapriostars as Hugues, with Blanchett playing Hollywood icon and Hughes' paramour,Katharine Hepburn.
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DiCaprio ownsThe Aviator, delivering one of his best performances as the troubled millionaire. The film is overwhelmingly his, with everyone orbiting his fiery sun. Thus, Blanchett is the perfect supporting character in the film, leaving a powerful mark without ever eclipsing DiCaprio. Blanchett embodies Hepburn rather than imitating her, capturing her essence, style, and overwhelming persona to a tee. The actress won the 2005 Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her performance, one ofThe Aviator’s five wins of the night.
5’Elizabeth' — Best Actress, 1999
Blanchett rose to international prominence withShekhar Kapur’s 1998 historical biopicElizabeth. The film chronicles Elizabeth’s early reign, dramatizing her fight against the Catholic Church, her affair with Robert Dudley, and her ascent as England’s “Virgin Queen.”
Combining inexperience with resolve, Blanchett is a powerhouse as Elizabeth. She is commanding yet uncertain, vulnerable, but purposeful. Hollywood lovesa good movie about English royalty, butElizabethis more concerned about the woman than the queen, resulting in a humane portrayal of one of history’s most iconic rulers. Blanchett earned rave reviews for her work, deservedly so. However, she infamously lost the Oscar toGwyneth PaltrowforShakespeare in Love.
4’I’m Not There' — Best Supporting Actress, 2008
In the pantheon ofgreat musical biopics,I’m Not Therehas a place of honor.Todd Haynes' unconventional approach presentsBob Dylan’s story, with the singer played by several actors across different and crucial moments in his life and embodying different facets of his persona. Blanchett plays Jude Quinn, a former folk music singer whose transition to a more modern sound leaves his fans confused and disappointed.
I’m Not Thereis a profound and insightful look into a larger-than-life artist. While every actor gives memorable and unique portrayals of Dylan’s persona, Blanchett is the film’s true star. As she did with Hepburn, Blanchett finds Dylan from within, evoking his essence to such a degree that the resemblance is nearly uncanny, despite looking and sounding nothing like him.I’m Not Thereis a showcase for Blanchett’s versatility as a performer, with the actress imbuing Dylan/Quinn’s frustration and lingering rage with a palpable sense of vulnerability.
3’TÁR' — Best Actress, 2023
After sixteen years of absence,Todd Fieldreturned to directing with the intense psychological dramaTÁR. The plot follows Lydia Tár, a world-renowned conductor hit with sexual harassment accusations on the eve of a career-changing opportunity.
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To say that Blanchett delivers a tour-de-force is an understatement. The actress gives an angry, overwhelming performance as the monstrous Tár, a character that would be almost impossible in less capable hands. Blanchett delivers a masterclass in control, preventing Tár from becoming implausible even while portraying her in all her raging glory. Blanchett’s Tár doesn’t eat; she devours everything and everyone around her. Yet, the actress is precise in her approach, understanding Tár as the idea of power and corruption while still making her a fully-fledged, layered character.
2’Blue Jasmine' — Best Actress, 2014
Blue Jasminetells the story of Jasmine French, a former socialite who moves in with her sister after losing her wealth and status following her husband’s arrest and subsequent suicide. Stuck in the past yet desperate to find a new purpose, Jasmine must deal with her inner demons in an intense struggle against herself.
Blanchett won her second Oscar forBlue Jasmine, in what is one of the all-time best wins in the Lead Actress category. The actress is superb in the role, portraying Jasmine’s mental deterioration with sublime precision. Blanchett avoids regressive tropes about mental illness, opting for an honest and raw portrayal of delusion and self-sabotage that elevates the material.Blue Jasmineis a tribute – rehash – ofA Streetcar Named Desire, and Blanchett is the perfect Blanche Dubois. Histrionic when necessary, yet remarkably human, Jasmine is a career peak for Blanchett.
1’Carol' — Best Actress, 2016
Todd Haynes' 2015 period romanceCarolis nothing short of a masterpiece. The plot revolves around the blossoming romance between two women – a young aspiring photographer and an older housewife going through a difficult divorce – in 1950s New York.
Sweeping, arresting, and profoundly intimate,Carolis the peak of romantic drama. Blanchett is simply extraordinary as the title character: elegant, ethereal, and immense in a way that makes it easy to understand why Mara’s Therese would fall hopelessly in love with her.Carolis the apex of Blanchett’s prestigious career, a performance that transcends its movie, becoming an icon in cinematic history. It takes an impressive director and an equally impressive companion to bring the full extent of Blanchett’s brilliance; luckily, in Haynes and Mara, Blanchett finds the ideal partners.
