In 1987, 18-year-old Cate Blanchett, a student of Fine Arts and Economics at Melbourne University, left school to see the world before choosing a career. After visiting England (and being kicked out when her Visa expired) Cate continued on to Egypt. While visiting Cairo, she and some friends were invited to appear as extras in an Arabic boxing film. In desperate need of cash, they reluctantly agreed. The next day, Cate found herself shooting a crowd scene, cheering for an American boxer who was being pummeled by an Egyptian. Cate (who later enrolled at Sydney’s National Institute of Dramatic Arts “on a whim”) did not appreciate the experience at the time. “It was terribly boring,” she recalled. “I didn’t do it to act, but to survive.” She wasn’t kidding. Cate’s first payment as an “actress”? Five dollars
Sources
Jay Julian Payne, Celebrity Anecdotes
