Ladies' Choice: The Best Actress Nominees

Newcomers (Ellen Page!) will go head-to-head with A-listers (Cate Blanchett!) for a fashionable fight to the finish. By Suzy Byrne

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CATE BLANCHETT

Elizabeth: The Golden Age
Oscar History: Five nominations, one win (for The Aviator in 2005).
2008 Scorecard: She won a Golden Globe for best supporting actress (and was also up for best actress, in addition to four other nominations this season).
Before She Hit Oscar: The Aussie star studied economics and fine art at the University of Melbourne.
Making Transitions: "Maybe unconsciously one job is an antidote to another job," Blanchett, 38, has said. "I mean, you couldn't have a greater antidote to playing Elizabeth I than playing Bob Dylan."