Cate Blanchett suggests acting retirement, says she’s ‘profoundly homesick’

The two-time Oscar winner has claimed she doesn’t “ever want to work again” and that she’s “profoundly homesick” in an incredibly candid TV interview.

Cate Blanchett’s latest role has her primed for yet another Oscars win – but the star has suggested it may be her last foray on the big screen.

The Australian actress, who is based in LA, told The Sunday Project she doesn’t “want to work again” following her award-winning role in the upcoming psychological drama Tár, adding she was “profoundly homesick”.

The two-time Academy Award winner, 53, said she was still trying to “process” the emotional load from the gruelling film, in which she plays the fictional world-famous pianist Lydia Tár.

“I think it was because it was such a physical role, the echoes of it are still with me and I think I’m like a lot of audience members, I need time to process it,” Blanchett told Ten.

“Obviously I’m lucky enough to work with some amazing directors who have changed my life, but when it all comes together like that, it does stay with you.

“So I don’t ever want to work again …” she added, laughing.

Cate Blanchett told The Sunday Project she was desperately ‘homesick’.

On a serious note, Blanchett, who has been working in showbiz for three decades, admitted she had been “profoundly homesick over the last four years”, after basing herself in Los Angeles from 2015 alongside husband Andrew Upton and their four children.

“‘I’m very obsessed, as most Australians, obsessed by water. I want to be by the water, in the water,” she said.

“I would love to learn to be patient, to be still and think. My grandmother was a wonderful gardener and my mother is likewise an excellent gardener and she lives with us, and I really want to spend time in the garden with my mum.”

At the end of the interview, The Project co-host Hamish McDonald joked, “Congrats on the film, and your retirement.”

Blanchett added, “I’m sure there are millions of people around the world applauding right now.”

Blanchett stars as Lydia Tár in director Todd Field's acclaimed film Tár. Picture: Supplied

The Blue Jasmine star has already scooped up two awards for her performance in Tár, winning Best Actress – Drama at the Golden Globes and the Critics Choice Awards this month.

Her speech at the latter ceremony raised eyebrows, in which she passionately called the female category a “patriarchal pyramid,” and demanded to “stop the televised horse race of [award ceremonies]”.

She went on to assert that “best actress” is an “arbitrary” term “considering how many extraordinary performances” there were by women last year.

Blanchett was up against Viola Davis (The Woman King), Danielle Deadwyler (Till), Margot Robbie (Babylon), Michelle Williams (The Fabelmans) and Michelle Yeoh (Everything Everywhere All at Once).

Blanchett won Best Actress for Tar at the 28th Annual Critics Choice Awards on January 15. Picture: Kevin Winter/Getty Images for Critics Choice Association

“I would love it if we would just change this whole f***ing structure. It’s like what is this patriarchal pyramid where someone stands up here. Why don’t we just say there was a whole raft of female performances that are in concert and in dialogue with one another?”

“And stop the televised horse race of it all,” continued Blanchett.

“Because, can I tell you, every single woman with a television, film, advertising, tampon commercials – whatever – you’re all out there doing amazing work that is inspiring me continually. So thank you. I share this with you all.”

Tár hits local theatres on January 26.