Oscar-winning actress Cate Blanchett has revealed the significant challenges she faces in obtaining adequate sleep, often managing on fewer than four hours per night. This sleep deficit stems from her demanding professional life, which includes early morning routines and a preference for late evenings.
Blanchett, 57, described her daily routine to Harper's Bazaar, which begins at 5 a.m. Her mornings involve tending to her chickens, walking her dogs, taking a cold-water plunge, and managing school runs before commencing work. This rigorous schedule is a byproduct of her extensive experience in both film and theater, with the film industry often requiring early starts. "Years and years in the film industry, which is all early starts," she explained regarding her intense morning routine.
Complementing her early starts is a love for late evenings. "I'm also a creature of the theatre, so I love late evenings – the moment when everyone else goes to bed and I've got the house to myself," she stated.
However, this combination of early mornings and late nights has taken a toll. "The wheels are constantly falling off. Constantly," Blanchett admitted, noting a conversation she had with herself a year prior about the need for more than four hours of sleep. "I did have a hard word with myself about a year ago and said, 'You really need more than four hours [of sleep]' The wheels are constantly falling off. Constantly."
Blanchett, who is mother to four children ranging from 11 to 24 years old, divides her time between residences in East Sussex and Cornwall. She is also navigating parenting challenges as her youngest child begins to engage with societal beauty standards and technology. "They'll sense if you're coming to control or curate their relationship to their friends or the digital world," she advised regarding open communication with her children about their online lives and screen time, questioning the necessity of digital engagement over analogue activities like drawing.
Professionally, Blanchett recently co-founded RSL Media, a non-profit organization dedicated to creating an online register for creatives to declare consent for their work's use by artificial intelligence. She is also preparing for her role in the National Theatre's production of "Electra/Persona." Reflecting on broader industry issues, Blanchett expressed concern that the #MeToo movement has been "rolled back" and "discredited," noting that women have not yet achieved pay equality in the industry. She also mentioned discussions in the U.S. concerning women's voting rights.
Blanchett also serves on the Earthshot Prize Council, supporting initiatives to combat climate change. She has praised Prince William's leadership in this role, noting his consistent and practical engagement with the issue.