Because her father was an American, the family included popular foodstuffs featured on holiday tables in the United States. Blanchett laughs that it was common for everyone to feel hot and sweaty on Christmas day because the temperatures that time of year are in the middle of Australia’s hot summer months.
She reports that the Blanchett family was treated to a “traditional, big English roast” as the centerpiece of their Christmas Day feast. Unfortunately, no one in the family had much appetite to eat it because of the summer-like weather which would have been more suitable for salads, seafood and much lighter fare.
A table laden with an abundance of food is among her fondest memories of her American Christmas celebrations with her family in Australia. She also recalls that her mother was fond of the season as a time to reach out to those less fortunate with a helping hand. Among her upcoming projects is an HBO movie, “Cancer Vixen”, in which she stars as a dying cartoonist.
