Top Things To Know About Cate Blanchett And Her Family

When Cate Blanchette met her husband Andrew Upton, a writer, on set in 1996; they didn't like one another at all. They dismissed each other immediately. He took her shyness for being aloof and she took his swagger and confidence as arrogance. After the movie wrapped, the ice was broken at a party and they got to know each other, over a card game. When the two played poker, the attraction became obvious; they may have lost the game, but Blanchette went home with him. It was a whirlwind attraction from that point on and the couple married three weeks after later and before she flew to England to play the lead in "Elizabeth," in 1998. They ended up having four children together, Dashielle Upton, 14, Roman Upton, 12, Ignatius Martin Upton, 8, and adopted daughter Edith Upton, 2. The couple has been together for over 20 years, after an initial cool impression of one another; are proof that cupid and fate exist.

Cate Blanchett lives with her husband and playwright Andrew Upton in Sydney. They own a home built in 1887 and live in Hunter's Hill. It's a balance between family life and artistic life. The main reason for the move, aside from eschewing Hollywood life, is so their children can be raised and educated in Australia. In addition, the creative duo can make haste to fulfilling their artistic purpose, by being closer to the Sydney Theatre Company. Blanchett and Upton were co-artistic directors of the Sydney Theatre Company from 2008 to 2012. Upton is currently the artistic director, while his wife, Cate, is free to pursue her film career. To be in charge of your life and pursuits is a measure of success. Finally, to complete their idyllic home life; the couple lives in the historic mansion, built in 1887, with their four children, Dashielle Upton, 14, Roman Upton, 12, Ignatius Martin Upton, 8 and Edith, 2. The couple is happily blending creative life with family.

After a conversation with her husband, Andrew Upton, when her son Dashiell Upton turned 14, the couple decided to add to their brood of children. It was a revisited idea. Before they had another two sons, they had discussed adoption when Dashielle was born. Having another two sons made this original conversation a distant memory, until Cate felt the urge again and discussed adding another child to the happy family, via adoption. The couple were positive their sons, Dashiell Upton, 14, Roman Upton, 12 and Ignatius Martin Upton, 8, would be over the moon with a little sister. So, in March 2015, they adopted a little girl, Edith, now 2.

Before her much-anticipated role in "Thor Ragnarok," playing Hela, The Goddess of Death, Cate Blanchette was more of a stage actress in her native Australia, at the Sydney Theatre Company. Fresh out of the National Institute of Dramatic Arts; she won critical acclaim in 1993, for her performance in "Kafka Dances," garnering the "Best Newcomer Award" from the Sydney Theater Critics Circle. She had bit parts on numerous TV shows, notably playing an incestous character on the TV show "GP," and starred in a commercial for the much-loved Aussie snack "Tim Tams." She's come a long way from her major theatrical break, playing "Elizabeth," tearing up the big screen in the 1998 biopic, all the way to her Oscar-winning performance in 2013's "Blue Jasmine." Blanchett was always destined for fame.

A little known fact is Cate Blanchette's father passed away suddenly when she was 10 years old. It affected her profoundly and still does, to this day. Blanchette was born to an Australian mother and her father, Robert was from Texas. Her parents met and fell in love while Robert was in the Navy and his ship was stationed in Melbourne. After working hard to better himself in the States, he returned to Australia to marry Cate's mom, June. Blanchette had an idyllic childhood, growing up near the Yarra river in Ivanhoe, Melbourne. Even as a child, she was an auteur and free-spirited. Blanchette was one of three kids that Robert and June Blanchette produced. She had Bob and Genevive to play with, growing up in the picturesque locale of Ivanhoe. Their family happiness was short-lived, however, for Robert died of a heart attack in 1979, leaving Cate's mom and her grandparents to raise Cate and her siblings. The memory of not saying a proper farewell to her father has been an everlasting and haunted memory for Cate. Because of it, she is more present for those she loves and she makes sure that they know how much she loves them and says a proper farewell, before parting company.

In 2008, Cate Blanchette co-starred with Harrison Ford in the tent pole hit movie "Indiana Jones And The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull," playing Russian semi-psychotic, dominatrix, Irina Spalko. For the most part, the character is hell bent on finding the telepathic crystal skull, at all costs - including her own life. It was a fun role for the actress, playing against type and stretching her chops, with a Russian accent.

2015 ushered in another hit for Cate Blanchette, playing the seminal evil stepmother, in the classic re-telling of the Disney-produced live action feature "Cinderella." It portended Cate's predilection towards the darker side, which she deliciously likes to explore, unfettered by ego.

Fanboys and the regular public alike, are gushing over Cate Blanchette's performance as Hela, the goddess of death, in the latest installment of Chris Hemsworth's Thor series, entitled "Thor Ragnarok." Blanchette doesn't disappoint and thoroughly enjoys playing evil incarnate.

At the end of the day, Cate Blanchett and husband Andrew Upton dwell between two worlds: as loving parents and as patrons of the arts. Always stretching their collective muses to the limit. The passion of their talents is only rivaled by their love of family. It's a heady balance and a worthy one and we thank them for doing it, with every play rendered and movie made. And Blanchette, is eternally grateful for Andrew because she feels the pull of the darkness that an actor explores and together, they rest upon the shore of the lightness of being.