The actress’ chances for winning Best Actress at next month’s Oscar awards are looking better than ever after winning her third BAFTA award.
Blanchett won the award for her role as a fallen Manhattan socialite in the Woody Allen film Blue Jasmine.
The 44-year-old was the favourite in the leading actress category, beating iconic British actresses Judie Dench and Emma Thompson, for the title.
Blanchett has previously won a BAFTA Award for the Aviator in 2005 and Elizabeth in 1999.
She declined interviews on the red carpet before the awards ceremony in London, reportedly keen to avoid questions surrounding the sexual abuse accusations against director Woody Allen by his adopted daughter Dylan.
When she took to the stage, Blanchett dedicated her award to the late actor Philip Seymour Hoffman, whose sudden death from a heroin overdose rocked the film industry almost a fortnight ago.
Blanchett, who, along with her husband Andrew Upton, joined hundreds of mourners at a private New York funeral for Oscar-winning Hoffman last week, hailed his “monumental talent” during her acceptance speech.
“You raised the bar, continually, so very very high and all we can do in your absence is try to raise it,” Blanchett said.
“Phil, buddy, you bastard, this is for you…I hope you’re proud.”
BAFTA host Stephen Fry singled out Blanchett’s performance in the “utterly compelling” film, at the start of Sunday’s ceremony.
“She (Blanchett) plays a woman who finds herself penniless and on the verge of a breakdown after being betrayed by a wealthy, powerful man,” Fry said to the star-studded audience.
All eyes are now on Blanchett to see if she can secure the Best Actress award again at next month’s Oscar awards in Hollywood on March 2.
