Australians actors and actresses

Cate Blanchett was born on May 14, 1969 in Australia to an American father and an Australian mother. She has an older brother and an younger sister. When she was ten years old, her 40-year old father died of a sudden heart attack. Her mother never remarried, and her grandmother moved in to help her mother. Cate graduated from Australia's National Institute of Dramatic Art in 1992 and, in a little over a year, had won both critical and popular acclaim. On graduating from NIDA, she joined the Sydney Theatre Company's production of Caryl Churchill's "Top Girls", then played Felice Bauer, the bride, in Tim Daly's "Kafka Dances", winning the 1993 Newcomer Award from the Sydney Theatre Critics Circle for her performance. From there, Blanchett moved to the role of Carol in David Mamet's searing polemic "Oleanna", also for the Sydney Theatre Company, and won the Rosemont Best Actress Award, her second award that year.

Chris Hemsworth

Big Break: Australians knew and loved him as Kim Hyde on Home and Away from 2004-2007, but the world fell in love with him as the mighty Thor in the 2011 movie of the same name.

Career Highlights: Chris has portrayed Thor in three movies, including The Avengers in 2012 and Thor: The Dark World in 2013 (The Avengers: Age of Ultron is coming), and got to prove that he's more than just a pretty face and buff body when he starred in Rush as English race car driver James Hunt.

Russell Crowe

Big Break: Russell's popularity blew up with 2000's Gladiator, which earned him the best actor Oscar that year.

Career Highlights: Russell followed up his Oscar win with another nomination for A Beautiful Mind in 2001. Blockbusters in his list of credits include Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World in 2003, Robin Hood in 2010, Les Misérables in 2012 and Man of Steel in 2013. His next role will be as the titular character in Noah.

Nicole Kidman

Big Break: Nicole's breakthrough came in the 1989 Australian thriller Dead Calm.

Career Highlights: In 2003 Nicole won the best actress Oscar for her portrayal of Virginia Woolf in The Hours, though her first nomination came for 2001's Moulin Rouge!. She earned another nomination for 2010's Rabbit Hole, which she also produced.

Margot Robbie

Big Break: Starring opposite Leonardo DiCaprio and being directed by Martin Scorsese in 2013's The Wolf of Wall Street. In Australia she was known for her role as Donna on Neighbours from 2008-2011.

Career Highlights: Everyone is talking about her performance and beauty in The Wolf of Wall Street, but she has also filmed Focus, opposite Will Smith, and just landed a role in Z For Zachariah, with Chris Pine and 12 Years a Slave lead Chiwetel Ejiofor.

By: Cinthya