Is Cate Blanchett Quitting Acting?

Cate Blanchett is a name that needs no introduction to movie fans. With a career that began in the '90s, the Australian actress has been part of both critically acclaimed and commercially successful films, portraying iconic roles such as Galadriel in The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Lady Tremaine in Cinderella, Brie Evantee in Don’t Look Up, Katharine Hepburn in The Aviator, and Hela in Thor: Ragnarok. These roles made her one of the most versatile and well-loved actors of her generation. (Let’s just ignore her role in Borderland, for which she earned a Razzie). 

Recently, Blanchett announced that she will be stepping away from acting, news that saddened her fans. However, her reason for considering this move is totally understandable. 

In an interview with the Radio Times (via The Standard), Blanchett said that she is “serious about giving up acting” since there are “lots of things I want to do with my life.” And despite being an actor for a long time, she also revealed that she is still not comfortable with being a celebrity. She added, “When you go on a talk show, or even here now, and then you see soundbites of things you’ve said, pulled out and italicised, they sound really loud. I’m not that person.” 

She also revealed how “it’s been a long time to remotely get comfortable with the idea of being photographed.” 

Fans might not miss Blanchett just yet, as her recent movie with Michael Fassbender, Black Bag, directed by Steven Soderbergh, was just released. The film follows a British intelligence officer investigating a list of traitors, including his wife. She also recently completed a five-week theater run in Anton Chekhov’s The Seagull. 

Additionally, she has two movies set to be released: Father, Mother, Sister, Brother, which is already in post-production, and Alpha Gang, which is currently filming. 

Cate Blanchett is not the first actor to step away from Hollywood. Daniel Day-Lewis, an actor who enjoyed an illustrious career like Blanchett, announced his retirement from acting in 2017. However, he ended his hiatus to star in his son’s directorial debut, Anemone, which “explores the intricate relationships between fathers, sons and brothers, and the dynamics of familial bonds,” according to The Guardian. 

Cameron Diaz also quit acting in 2014 feeling it was “something I just had to do.” She added that, “Nobody’s opinion, nobody’s success, no one’s offer, no one’s anything could change my mind about my decision of taking care of myself and building the life that I really wanted to have,” per The Hollywood Reporter. Diaz returned back to acting via Netflix’s Back in Action earlier this year.  

Who's to say Blanchett won't return to acting after a few years' hiatus?