Cate Blanchett

Cate Blanchett in a scene from "Elizabeth: The Golden Age" for which she is nominated for a Best Actress Oscar in 2008.

Cate Blanchett as she appeared in 1994 at the Sydney Critics Awards in Australia. She was born May 14, 1969, to an Australian mother and an American father. When her father died when she was 10, Blanchett was raised, with two siblings, by her mother.

Because Cate Blanchett's training and early experience happened in Australia, her lead actress Oscar nomination for "Elizabeth" (1998) was somewhat of a surprise to American moviegoers, many of whom had assumed she was a newcomer. But by that time, Blanchett already had starred in two Australian TV series.

Cate Blanchett played a Long Island housewife in "Pushing Tin" (1999), in which John Cusack played her husband. The other star couple in that movie was Billy Bob Thornton and Angelina Jolie, who were a couple in real life at the time.

Cate Blanchett and Hilary Swank arrive at the Hollywood premiere of "The Gift" on Dec. 18, 2000. Others in the cast included Keanu Reeves, Greg Kinnear and Giovanni Ribisi.

Cate Blanchett attends the 61st Annual Golden Globe Awards on Jan. 25, 2004, in Beverly Hills, Calif.

In "The Aviator," Cate Blanchett played the role of actress Katherine Hepburn, and won the Oscar for best supporting actress in 2005. Here, she arrives at the movie's U.K. premiere in London on Dec. 19, 2004.

Cate Blanchett poses in the press room with her trophy for playing Katharine Hepburn in "The Aviator," voted by the Screen Actors Guild on Feb. 5, 2005, in Los Angeles.

For her work in "The Aviator," Cate Blanchett went on to win the Academy Award for best supporting actress. Here, she poses with her Oscar in hand backstage at the 77th Annual Academy Awards on Feb. 27, 2005.

Cate Blanchett enjoys a moment with her son, Dashiell, at the final of the Coronation Cup for the Cartier Trophy at Guards Polo Club, Windsor Great Park, England, July 24, 2005. She also has a son, Roman, born April 23, 2004. She has been married since 1997 to Andrew Upton.

Cate Blanchett arrives for a screening of the film "Babel" at the Cannes Film Festival in southern France on May 23, 2006.

Cate Blanchett receives the Icon Award at the 13th Annual Premiere Magazine's Women in Film Dinner at the Beverly Hills Hotel on Sept. 20, 2006.

Cate Blanchett and Brad Pitt in a scene from "Babel." Blanchett competed against two of her "Babel" co-stars, Adriana Barraza and Rinko Kikuchi, in the category of supporting actress at last year's Academy Awards. But she was nominated for her work in "Notes on a Scandal," not "Babel."

Cate Blanchett arrives at the 64th Annual Golden Globe Awards on Jan. 15, 2007, in Beverly Hills, Calif. She was nominated for her supporting role in "Notes on a Scandal," but the trophy went to Jennifer Hudson ("Dreamgirls").

Cate Blanchett arrives on the red carpet at the 13th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards in Los Angeles on Jan. 28, 2007. Again, she was nominated for her supporting role in "Notes on a Scandal," and, again, the prize went to Jennifer Hudson ("Dreamgirls").

Cate Blanchett and Judi Dench were both nominated for Oscars for their work in "Notes on a Scandal." They play British schoolteachers stuck in the mire of scandal and jealousy.

Actress Cate Blanchett speaks at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, Saturday, Jan. 26, 2008, in Santa Barbara, Calif., during her acceptance speech for the festival's Modern Master award.

Cate Blanchett in "I'm Not There" — The Weinstein Company

Cate Blanchett in a scene from "I'm Not There" for which she was nominated for a Best Supporting Actress Oscar in 2008.

Cate Blanchett arrives at the 14th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards on Sunday, Jan. 27, 2008, in Los Angeles.

Actress Cate Blanchett arrives at a memorial service for the late Hollywood actor Heath Ledger in Perth, Australia, Saturday, Feb. 9, 2008.

Cate Blanchett spoke with "Early Show" Special Correspondent Amanda Holden about "Robin Hood," which co-stars Russell Crowe.