Chameleonic Australian with a remarkably wide range. Blanchett never
looks the same twice; the sheer physical transformations she achieves
are amazing. But it's the diversity of characters she can play that
marks her out as a talent. In roles as different as the ice queen in
Elizabeth, the Victorian gambler in Oscar And Lucinda, and the gawkily
awkward socialite in The Talented Mr Ripley, she seems incapable of
striking a false note. Her Galadriel in The Lord Of The Rings is less
convincing, but put that down to the part and the SFX, not the acting.
Despite her unselfish submersion in her roles, she's carving out a
career of mega-star proportions.
