Blanchett defends director role

Blanchett won an Oscar for her portrayal of Katharine Hepburn in The Aviator

Actress Cate Blanchett has said she hopes the Sydney Theatre Company "flourishes" when she and husband Andrew Upton take over as directors.

Her comment follows the resignation of one of the theatre's actors, Colin Moody, in protest at the appointment.

"An Oscar for acting is not a suitable recommendation to run the biggest theatre company in the country," he is reported to have said.

Blanchett and her husband take over as artistic directors in January.

At a news conference in Sydney, reporters were asked only to ask questions about her new film, Elizabeth: The Golden Age.

The Golden Age sees Blanchett reprise her role as Elizabeth I

But one asked how the Virgin Queen would have dealt with such criticism.

"She was a great patron of the arts... under her reign, Shakespeare and the English language flourished," said Blanchett.

"So I can only hope that under our patronage, Australian writing at the Sydney Theatre Company flourishes in a similar way," she added.

Blanchett and Upton were named as the new artistic directors last year.

"It's an absolutely firm commitment, and it is not one that Andrew nor myself have made lightly," she said at the time.

She called the appointment "the most exciting thing that has ever happened".

One of Blanchett's first major acting roles was for the Sydney Theatre Company 14 years ago when she co-starred in a production of Oleanna.