Cate Blanchett has received a little Aussie help in her pursuit of another Oscar.
Blanchett won the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) international award in Los Angeles on Friday.
The AACTA international awards, in their third year, have become another stop on the crowded Hollywood awards season and help build momentum for the March 2 Oscars.
Blanchett, nominated for the Woody Allen-directed Blue Jasmine, was competing for the AACTA award against a who's who of acting talent: Amy Adams (American Hustle), Sandra Bullock (Gravity), Judi Dench (Philomena) and Meryl Streep (August: Osage County).
The five are expected to compete for the best actress Oscar when the nominations are revealed on Thursday, but Blanchett joked she had an advantage with the AACTA award.
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"I'm Australian," a jubilant Blanchett told the well lubricated crowd at West Hollywood's Sunset Marquis Hotel.
"I guess it's a done deal.
"All I had to do was show up."
Blanchett won a supporting actress Oscar in 2005 for The Aviator.
Gravity was the big winner at the AACTA Awards, claiming best picture and Alfonso Cuaron took the directing gong.
Jennifer Lawrence won the supporting actress trophy for American Hustle while 12 Years a Slave's Chiwetel Ejiofor (best actor) and Michael Fassbender (supporting actor) claimed awards.
"I was going to say 'bonza'," German-born, Irish-raised Fassbender said in his acceptance speech.
The Australian segment of the AACTA Awards will be held at two events in Sydney later this month.
