Cate Blanchett

AGE 35
MUSTWORTHINESS With a range extending from ethereal elf queen (''Lord of the Rings'') to world-weary pioneer (''The Missing''), she's the next Meryl Streep. (She won't say it, but we will.)
ON HER MUST LIST ''I've been listening to Jim White -- the CD is called 'Drill a Hole in That Substrate and Tell Me What You See.'''
AND ALSO Judy Davis, Frances McDormand, Liv Ullmann, Charlotte Rampling. ''They're very independent and make personal choices. And Jane Fonda. 'The China Syndrome' is amazing. It's so painfully naive. Now knowing what we know, it's all the more poignant.''
CAREER HIGH ''This year was: Ron Howard in 'The Missing,' then I had a couple kamikaze days with Jim Jarmusch on 'Coffee and Cigarettes,' then 'The Aviator,' then working with Wes Anderson, then I gave birth! The year started with a bang and ended with a big bang.''
NEXT The play ''Hedda Gabler'' in Sydney.