Cate Blanchett
Over the years Australia has produced some of the biggest names in cinema - many of them going on to win a very prestigious Oscar.
This week sees a new talent emerge as Chris Hemsworth takes on the title role in Kenneth Branagh's new movie Thor.
Thor is the latest marvel Comic character to be brought to the big screen and the film kicks off an exciting summer of blockbuster films.
So to celebrate the release of the movie we take a look at some of Australia's best exports.
- Mel Gibson: It's fair to say that Gibson has not been in the headlines for the right reasons of late but the actor has enjoyed a long and very successful career.
He kicked off his career in Aussie TV before moving into movies with Gallipoli and Mad Max - but it wasn't long before Hollywood cam calling.
Mad Max was turned into a franchise before he went on to play Martin Riggs in the Lethal Weapon series.
As well as in front of the camera Gibson has had success behind it - winning a Best Director Oscar for Braveheart, the film also went on to win Best Picture.
He has followed this up with The Passion of the Christ and Apocalypto.
- Russell Crowe: After appearing in the likes of Neighbours in his early career Crowe was cast in his first movie back in 1990 with The Crossing before going on to Romper Stomper.
Soon Hollywood roles came his way and he began to carve out a career in America with The Quick and the Dead and Virtuosity.
His career gathered pace at the end of the nineties with L.A. Confidential, The Insider and of course Gladiator.
The role of Maximus Decimus Meridius remains his most famous as he went on to win a Best Actor Oscar for his performance - as well as starting a long and very successful career with Ridley Scott.
Another Oscar nomination followed for a Beautiful Mind and in recent years he has produced great performances in Cinderella Man, 3:10 To Yuma and American Gangster.
- Cate Blanchett: The actress is one of the most versatile of her generation moving from more independent picture to blockbusters with ease.
It was her role as Elizabeth I in Shekhar Kapur's 1998 movie Elizabeth that put her on a world stage - going on to be nominated for an Oscar for her performance.
The Talented Mr Ripley, The Gift and Charlotte Grey all followed until she landed the role of Galadriel in The Lord of the Rings trilogy.
The series of movies went on to be one of the most successful franchises of all time. But it was 2004 when she finally got her hands on a much deserved Oscar.
It was for her role as Katharine Hepburn in Martin Scorsese's The Aviator that saw her collect a Best Supporting Actress gong.
She has been Academy Award nominated three times since then for her roles in Notes On A Scandal, Elizabeth: The Golden Age and I'm Not There.
- Nicole Kidman: The actress kicked off her career in 1983 and has enjoyed success spanning over twenty years.
But the early nineties work on Days of Thunder, Billy Bathgate and Dead Calm brought her attention as her star began to rise.
She switched to a more mainstream role as Dr Chase Meridian in Batman Forever before going onto The Portrait of a Lady and Practical magic.
While she picked up an Oscar nomination for her performance in Moulin Rouge she would have to wait until 2002 before she finally got her hands on an Oscar for The Hours.
2011 saw her nominated once again for Rabbit Hole.
- Geoffrey Rush: It's been quite a year for Rush already after his Oscar nominated/Bafta winning performance as Lionel Logue in The King's Speech.
The actor is set to return to the big screen next month as he reprises the role of Captain Barbossa in Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, a movie that is set to be a summer smash.
Rush picked up a Best Actor Oscar early in his movie career, back in 1996, for his role in Shine.
He has since been nominated for Shakespeare in Love, Quills and of course for The King's Speech.
As well as more off the wall roles in Quills and The Life and Death of Peter Sellers the actor has also enjoyed blockbuster success with Pirates of the Caribbean.
- Heath Ledger: Sadly the actor could not see his greatest moment as he had passed away before the final cut of The Dark Knight was ready.
The second batman movie from Christopher Nolan saw Ledger takes on the role of The Joker - for which he was awarded a posthumous Best Supporting Actor Oscar.
It was the second time that the actor had been recognised by the Academy after picking up a Best Actor nod for Brokeback Mountain - which really announced him as an actor.
During his short career the actor moved from comedy roles such as 10 Things I Hate About You
to more hard hitting parts in Candy.
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus was the final time that Ledger graced the big screen with Johnny Depp, Jude Law and Colin Farrell stepping in to complete the movie after his death.
Other Aussie actors who have also enjoyed success include Naomi Watts, Hugh Jackman and Errol Flynn while Mia Wasikowska is already making a name for herself.
Thor is out now
FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw
Tagged in Thor Chris Hemsworth