Catherine Elise Blanchett was born on May 14, 1969, in Melbourne, Australia. With an Aussie mother and a Texan father, she was exposed to a range of cultures. When Cate was merely 10 years old, her father passed away, leaving her mother to take care of not only Cate, but also a younger sister and older brother. Her first taste of acting came when she joined a drama group at her Methodist College, playing small roles in small-time plays.