Movie Star Says She’s Giving Up Acting: Cate Blanchett ‘Serious’ About Retiring

Oscar-winning actress Cate Blanchett is “serious” about retiring from acting in the near future.

The Australian actress, 55, revealed in an interview with Radio Times published Monday that she wasn’t sure if calling her an “actress” was accurate at this point in her life.

“It’s because I’m giving up… My family roll their eyes every time I say it, but I mean it. I am serious about giving up acting,” she told the outlet. “[There are] a lot of things I want to do with my life.”

Blanchett may be serious about retiring, but she’s got a busy schedule, having recently appeared in Alfonso Cuarón’s Apple TV+ series Disclaimer and Steven Soderbergh’s Black Bag opposite Michael Fassbender.

She’s also recently wrapping filming on Jim Jarmusch’s new movie Father, Mother, Sister, Brother, which is due for release in 2025, and is currently working as both an actor and producer on David and Nathan Zellner’s sci-fi comedy titled Alpha Gang. Blanchett is also slated to do double duty as actor and producer on Ben Stiller’s upcoming film The Champions.

Despite her accomplished career as an actress, Blanchett told Radio Times she doesn’t enjoy the celebrity that comes alongside the spotlight. “When you go on a talk show, or even here now, and then you see soundbites of things you’ve said, pulled out and italicized, they sound really loud. I’m not that person,” she said. “I make more sense in motion – it’s been a long time to remotely get comfortable with the idea of being photographed.”

“I’ve always felt like I’m on the periphery of things, so I’m always surprised when I belong anywhere,” she continued. “I go with curiosity into whatever environment that I’m in, not expecting to be accepted or welcomed. I’ve spent a lifetime getting comfortable with the feeling of being uncomfortable.” Blanchett added, “No one is more boring to me than myself and I find other people much more interesting. I find myself profoundly dull.”