Cate Blanchett, the Australian actor, has become a standard-bearer for maternal roles that veer away from sitcom archetypes, reflecting a more honest, chaotic, and relatable view of family life. Her portrayal of Magdalena "Maggie" Gilkeson in Ron Howard's 2003 Western drama The Missing showcases a raw, feral side to parenting, as she battles to rescue her kidnapped daughter in a brutal landscape. Similarly, in Richard Linklater's 2019 adaptation of Maria Semple's novel, Where'd You Go, Bernadette, Blanchett portrays a reclusive architect navigating a midlife crisis while raising her daughter. Blanchett's own parenting experiences have influenced her acting, as she jokes about the mundane reality of her household and emphasizes that motherhood is a vital part of her identity, but not her entire existence. Her pragmatism and blunt advice have benefited her Hollywood peers, such as Natalie Portman, who turned to Blanchett for guidance on balancing work and motherhood. Blanchett's role in The Missing and Where'd You Go, Bernadette dismantle the myth that mothers can have it all, and she advocates for a greater sense of motherhood in the workplace, believing it would make the world a better place.
