Before Blue Jasmine there was Kaboria... Did Cate Blanchett really make her film debut in Egypt?

She's just won her second Oscar - for Best Actress in the film Blue Jasmine - and she's worked with some of the best directors and actors in the industry. But before being snapped up for projects by Steven Spielberg, David Fincher and Peter Jackson - not to mention starring opposite the likes of Brad Pitt, George Clooney and Leonardo DiCaprio - Cate Blanchett kick-started her film career in this very region.

Yep, the Australian actress made her movie debut in the cheesy 90s Egyptian film, Kaboria, starring Ahmed Zaki.

Watch the clip below:

In an interview with the Herald Scotland, Cate revealed that she dropped out of university to go backpacking, with one of her chosen countries being Egypt. There she met a Scottish casting director who was recruiting American-looking actors for the Egyptian boxing movie, and in need of funds, the now 44-year-old jumped at the chance.

"They were going to pay two Egyptian pounds that was going to pay my rent for the week so I said, 'Sure'," she said. "It was so boring. We were given these pom poms and they were telling us to cheer. It was so embarrassing and they didn't feed us so I left.

"I'm sure it was a masterpiece."

Cate has gone on to star in some of the most critically acclaimed films, including Elizabeth, The Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Aviator and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.