Cate Blanchett is an Australian actress and theater artist. She was born in Australia and graduated from the National Institute of Dramatic Art, Sydney. Cate started her career with theatre and her first major performance was in the stage drama, Oleanna. She soon made her television debut on the television series Heartland and Bordertown. Cate then bagged a supporting role in the Paradise Road (1997), following which she played the lead role in the film Oscar and Lucinda (1997). Her performance garnered several accolades, and was praised by the critics and the masses. She later appeared in films such as Elizabeth (1998), An Ideal Husband (1999), The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999) and The Man Who Cried (2000). Cate received international recognition after portraying the role of Galadriel in The Lord of Rings Trilogy. She also received an Academy Award for her performance in The Aviator (2004), subsequent to which she appeared in films such as Little Fish (2005), Babel (2006), Elizabeth: The Golden Age (2007), Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008), The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008), Robin Hood (2010) and Hanna (2011). She received her second Academy Award for her performance in the film Blue Jasmine (2013). With several successful films to her credit, Cate has been honored with many awards in her career, including three Golden Globe Awards, three BAFTA Awards and three Screen Actors Guild Awards. She was also appointed as Chevalier of the Order of Arts by the French Government and presented with a Doctor of Letters for her outstanding contribution to arts, philanthropy and the community. Cate's recent appearances have been in the films The Hobbit : The Desolation of Smaug (2013), The Monuments Men (2014) and How to Train Your Dragon 2 (2014). Her most recent box office outing was in the film The Hobbit : The Battle of Five Armies (2014). Her upcoming film Carol, will hit theaters in February, 2016.