Australian-born actress Cate Blanchett, 32, gave birth earlier this week in London to her first child, a boy named Dashiell John, the actress' publicist said. Blanchett, who received an Oscar nomination for her 1998 title role in "Elizabeth," is married to writer Andrew Upton, who is currently writing a screen adaptation of "Foucault's Pendulum" for Fineline Pictures. Blanchett, who was one of PEOPLE's Most Beautiful in 1999, is slated to appear in several films later this month, including "Charlotte Gray" and "Shipping News" with Kevin Spacey. "I guess it looks like I planned it, but this is just the happy by-product of a happy marriage," Blanchett, who wed screenwriter Andrew Upton in 1997, told PEOPLE recently. It's been a busy marriage as well. "I filmed 'Lord of the Rings' and then 'Heaven.' When 'Bandits' was up and running ('Shipping News' director) Lasse Hallstrom said, 'Come to Nova Scotia,' " says the actress, who made the best of the occasional separations from her husband. "We had many happy reunions. I guess it was those romantic liaisons in hotel rooms that put me where I am today."