For those who are a fan of Cate Blanchett, every movie is a major one simply due to the fact that she is in it, but TAR became a new page for the talented actress as it shows her prowess. TechTrends has put together a list of the best Cate Blanchett movies of all time for the fans and those who are starting to like this incredible person.
It is a commonly held truth that Cate Blanchett is quite talented when it comes to acting. Moreover, her presence on the screen is too big to deny. Her work has always had consistency and she is quite committed to her acting. Since she has had a career-defining turn recently, we have decided to take a look into her most notable performances. The movies go back to almost 25 years and are wide in range. Her intelligence is easily proven in her output, which is varied and versatile. Over the years, she has received seven Oscar nominations and won two of them in The Aviator 2004 and Blue Jasmine 2013, performing as a supporting actress and a lead, consecutively. She has also earned many other awards for her breathtaking performances. Without further ado, let’s get to the list of the best must-see Cate Blanchett performances.
Best Cate Blanchett Movies of All Time
Not many people argue that Cate Blanchett is one of the greatest actresses of her time. She is pretty versatile in the movies she appears in and established herself as one of the most sought-after stars during the last three decades. Read this article to find out what the best Cate Blanchett films of all time are.
1. Carol 2015
- Genre: Romance/Drama
- Director: Todd Haynes
- Stars: Cate Blanchett, Rooney Mara, Sarah Paulson, Kyle Chandler, Nik Pajic
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 94%, IMDb 7.2
One of the most acclaimed Cate Blanchett performances is in the movie Carol, where she plays the role of the titular Carol Aird. She is a rich Jersey housewife who leaves her gloves at a store in New York by accident. Therese Belivet, portrayed by Rooney Mara, is a clerk who returns the gloves. To thank her, Carol, who is in the middle of a terrible divorce, takes Therese to lunch. They get attracted to one another immediately and they start a relationship. For her performance in this movie, she got nominated for an Academy Award, Golden Globe award as well as Screen Actors Guild. Carol is one of the best Cate Blanchett movies of all time.
2. Blue Jasmine 2013
- Genre: Drama
- Director: Woody Allen
- Stars: Cate Blanchett, Sally Hawkins, Bobby Cannavale, Louis C.K., Peter Sarsgaard
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 91%, IMDb 7.3
The second one on the list of the best Cate Blanchett movies of all time, and arguably her best, is Blue Jasmine. When she appeared in Woody Allen movie, it was obvious that it was something special. She played the role of Jasmine Harris, a woman who is living with her husband Hal, played by Alec Baldwin, when she gets busted by the Feds. The government takes all their money and despite being tapped out, she goes to San Francisco in first class to live with her sister Ginger, who was not so well-off. However, Ginger’s close friends and people around her start to question what Jasmine’s motivations are. Cate Blanchett showcased a remarkable performance and received an Academy Award for it, as well as a Golden Globe Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award.
Read more: Best Drama Movies of All Time
3. Tar 2022
- Genre: Drama/Psychological drama
- Director: Todd Field
- Stars: Cate Blanchett, Nina Hoss, Noémie Merlant, Sophie Kauer, Sydney Lemmon
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 90%, IMDb 7.6
The movie Tar is directed by Todd Field and is about composer-conductor Lydia Tar. The director even said that he would not have made the movie had she turned him down and it is not surprising. Blanchett has the relentless pursuit of artistic accomplishment as well as proficiency in her that allows her to perform incredibly well. The movie revolves around Lydia Tar, who is close to the day that her career will be elevated as she aims to record a game-changing symphony. While the world seems to be conspiring against her, her daughter Petra supports her mother emotionally. The movie was incredibly successful and made it to the list of the best Cate Blanchett movies of all time.
4. Notes on a Scandal 2006
- Genre: Drama
- Director: Richard Eyre
- Stars: Cate Blanchett, Judi Dench, Andrew Simpson, Bill Nighy
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 88%, IMDb 7.4
Many people overlook Notes on a Scandal when making the list of the best Cate Blanchett movies of all time. She portrays the character of Sheba Hart who is an art teacher at a school. Moreover, she attracts the attention of history teacher Barbara Covett, played by Judi Dench. When finding out that Sheba is in a relationship with an underage student, she uses this in her benefit. Despite the fact that Dench got a lot of attention for her performance-against-type, Blanchett made a character who was eager to be friends with a colleague only to have her turn against her. Notes on a Scandal is indeed one of the best Cate Blanchett movies of all time.
5. The Aviator 2004
- Genre: Drama
- Director: Martin Scorsese
- Stars: Cate Blanchett, Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Beckinsale, John C. Reilly, Alec Baldwin
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 86%, IMDb 7.5
The first Academy Award that Cate Blanchett won was for her performance in the movie The Aviator. She played the role of screen legend Katharine Hepburn in the movie directed by Martin Scorsese. What made Blanchett’s performance stand out was the fact that it was not an impersonation like many imitators have done, but rather an embodiment of the screen star, in her voice and her physicality. Blanchett also won a Screen Actors Guld Award for this role. We highly recommend this movie as one of the best Cate Blanchett films ever.
Read more: Best Leonardo DiCaprio Movies of All Time
6. The Talented Mr. Ripley 1999
- Genre: Crime/Drama
- Director: Martin Scorsese
- Stars: Cate Blanchett, Vera Farmiga, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jack Nicholson, Mark Wahlberg
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 85%, IMDb 7.4
The Talented Mr. Ripley is based on the novel written by Patricia Highsmith. It is one of the best Cate Blanchett movies of all time. Matt Damon plays the role of Tom Ripley, who gets approached by wealthy Herbert Greenleaf, played by James Rebhorn, who thinks that Ripley is his son Dickie’s old friend. He offers $1,000 to Ripley to go to Italy and find his son. He accepts it, although he has no idea who Dickie is. Blanchett plays the supporting tole of Meredith Logue. She is a socialite who thinks that Ripley is rich Dickie Greenleaf, whom he actually murdered. She falls for him and is worried that he might break up with her.
Read more: Best Matt Damon Movies of All Time
7. Elizabeth 1998
- Genre: Drama/History
- Director: Shekhar Kapur
- Stars: Cate Blanchett, Daniel Craig, Geoffrey Rush, Joseph Fiennes
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 83%, IMDb 7.4
Cate Blanchett had her breakout role in the movie Elizabeth in 1998 and it is like a superhero origin tale for her. She plays the role of Queen Elizabeth I when she first started her reign. England was having a religious and political turmoil back then as Catholics and Protestants fought for the nation’s soul. The queen has to reunite the people and show her power. Blanchett played the role again in 2007 when she appeared in Elizabeth: The Golden Age. For the fact that Blanchett is able to add a sense of authority to her roles, it is always entertaining and a pleasure to watch her movies. We highly recommend this as one of the best Cate Blanchett movies of all time.
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8. Nightmare Alley 2021
- Genre: Drama/Thriller
- Director: Guillermo del Toro
- Stars: Cate Blanchett, Bradley Cooper, Rooney Mara, Toni Collette
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 81%, IMDb 7
Cate Blanchett worked with acclaimed director Guillermo del Toro for the first time in the movie Nightmare Alley, where she portrays the role of a quintessential femme fatale. She showcased a memorable antagonist, who is a fearsome creature in the film. Bradley Cooper plays the role of a con man with a corrupted soul that is beyond reclamation. Moreover, he manipulates everyone around him quite effortlessly. In addition, he has great chemistry with Cate Blanchett, which only adds to his impact. The movie is an adaptation of the 1947 film with the same name. Make sure to add it to your watchlist as we strongly recommend it.
Read more: Best Bradley Cooper Movies of All Time
10. I’m Not There 2007
- Genre: Musical/Drama
- Director: Todd Haynes
- Stars: Cate Blanchett, Bob Dylan, Richard Gere, Heath Ledger, Christian Bale
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 77%, IMDb 6.8
In the movie I’m Not There, Cate Blanchett was given a unique acting chance as the only woman among six actors to offer their part on the Bob Dylan essence. The actress’s part puts Dylan on as a character named Jude Quinn and is about a time when Dylan goes electric at a festival, being booed when he goes on the same path on a tour of the UK. It is Blanchett channeling Dylan and she got her second Golden Globe Award for her performance as Jude. She also received an Oscar nomination and a Screen Actors Guild nomination. This is one of the best Cate Blanchett movies of all time.
Read more: Best Christian Bale Movies of All Time
11. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button 2008
- Genre: Romance/Fantasy
- Director: David Fincher
- Stars: Cate Blanchett, Brad Pitt, Taraji P. Henson, Tilda Swinton
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 71%, IMDb 7.8
This is a movie loosely based on Scott Fitzgerald’s 1922 short story. This romantic fantasy concentrates on the impressive performance of Brad Pitt. The story is about a man, whose aging happens in reverse. He is born as an arthritic, an infant with wrinkles and is called Benjamin Button. He grows younger as time goes buy and a novel motion-capture process used was the technical wizardry. Daisy, played by Cate Blanchett is the object of his affection and she is living like normal people. She was able to help us understand the journey Benjamin is embarking upon and we can empathize with her. The old look of Brad Pitt was not make-up but it was CGI. The seamless display captured was key to the immersive experience.
Aside from the brilliance they showed in the technical aspects, the way Pitt portrayed the character’s demeanor is remarkable. The two actors were phenomenal in the film and that is why it was successful. This is indeed one of the best Cate Blanchett movies ever.
Read more: Best Brad Pitt Movies of All Time
12. Ocean’s 8 2018
- Genre: Comedy/Crime
- Director: Gary Ross
- Stars: Cate Blanchett, Sandra Bullock, Anne Hathaway, Sarah Paulson, Rihanna, Helena Bonham Carter
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 68%, IMDb 6.3
Another one of Cate Blanchett’s greatest movie roles came in the movie Ocean’s 8, which is led by a woman. Sandra Bullock portrays the role of Debbie, who plans a heist of the Met Gala. She puts together a team of women that have unique skills to pull off this heist, which is regarded as an impossible task to achieve. Her longtime partner is Lou, played by Cate Blanchett. The movie was praised by the audience and the critics for having characters that have different personalities. The twist comes later in the movie and it puts everything in a new context. Do not miss it.
Read more: Best Sandra Bullock Movies of All Time