When you think about Marvel villains, most people jump straight to Thanos or maybe Killmonger. But honestly? The moment Cate Blanchett stepped onto the screen in 2017, the game changed. She didn't just play a character; she owned every single pixel of the frame.
She was terrifying. She was funny. Most importantly, she was clearly having the time of her life.
Playing the Goddess of Death isn't exactly a "down-to-earth" role. It requires a specific kind of theatricality that can easily slide into being cringey if the actor isn't careful. But as the Hela Thor Ragnarok actress, Blanchett managed to make mass murder look... well, kind of stylish.
The unexpected casting of Cate Blanchett
Nobody really saw it coming. Before Thor: Ragnarok, Blanchett was best known for high-brow period pieces, winning Oscars for The Aviator and Blue Jasmine, and being the ethereal Galadriel in Lord of the Rings. Dropping her into a neon-soaked, synth-heavy Taika Waititi comedy felt like a wild experiment.
It worked because she leaned into the camp.
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Blanchett has often mentioned in interviews—like her chat with Entertainment Weekly—that she took the role partly because her four kids are huge Marvel fans. She wanted to be cool in their eyes. But she also realized that, at the time, the MCU was severely lacking in female antagonists. She wasn't just joining a franchise; she was breaking a glass ceiling with a necrosword.
What it took to become the Goddess of Death
Physicality is everything in a superhero movie. You can't just stand there and look mean. You have to move like a god. To get Hela’s distinct, predatory stride right, Blanchett worked extensively with the legendary stuntwoman Zoe Bell.
Bell is basically Hollywood royalty in the stunt world (think Kill Bill and Death Proof). Together, they crafted a fighting style for Hela that was inspired by capoeira, a Brazilian martial art that blends dance and acrobatics. It’s why Hela doesn't just punch people; she flows through them.
- The Headdress: That iconic stag-horn look? Mostly CGI. On set, Blanchett often had to wear a motion-capture suit with tracking markers.
- The Hair: When Hela slicks her hair back and the antlers "grow," that was a character beat Blanchett helped develop. She wanted the transformation to feel motivated by her internal power.
- The Tone: Director Taika Waititi encouraged a lot of improvisation. Blanchett has noted that the set felt more like an experimental theater workshop than a $180 million blockbuster.
Why Hela still stands out in 2026
The MCU has a "villain problem" that people talk about constantly. Most bad guys are just mirror versions of the hero. Hela was different. She was the family secret Odin tried to bury—literally.
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She represents the dark side of imperialism. While Thor and Odin were off being the "good guys," Hela was the one who actually did the dirty work of conquering the Nine Realms. When she shows up and calls Asgard a "gold-plated" lie, she isn't actually wrong. That complexity is what makes her more than just a cardboard cutout with a funny hat.
Breaking down the Hela vs. Thor dynamic
The "sister" twist wasn't just for shock value. It recontextualized everything we knew about the Asgardian royal family.
- Mjolnir's Destruction: The moment she crushed the hammer with one hand, the stakes were set. It wasn't just a display of strength; it was Hela reclaiming her status as the original wielder of Mjolnir (a detail many fans forget is canon in the MCU).
- The Contrast: Thor is trying to be a leader; Hela is a conqueror.
- The Ending: She didn't lose because Thor was stronger. She lost because Surtur was an environmental hazard. She was effectively unbeatable in a fair fight.
The "What If...?" factor and her future
Even though Surtur leveled Asgard and presumably took Hela with it, the fans never really let go. In 2023, Blanchett returned to voice the character in What If...? Season 2. This gave us a "Redemption Hela" arc that showed what would happen if she found the Ten Rings and learned a bit of humility.
Rumors constantly swirl about her return to the live-action films. Given the Multiverse is now the central pillar of Marvel storytelling, it’s never truly "game over." Whether it’s a variant or a resurrection from the depths of Hel, the demand for more Blanchett is high.
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Actionable ways to dive deeper into Hela's lore
If you're obsessed with the performance and want to see where the inspiration came from, here’s how to spend your weekend:
- Read "Journey into Mystery" #102: This is the 1964 debut of Hela, created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. The comic version is a bit more "Grim Reaper" and less "Goth Sister," but the DNA is there.
- Watch the VFX breakdowns: Search for the Thor: Ragnarok costume featurettes. Seeing Cate Blanchett in a grey mo-cap suit doing capoeira moves is a masterclass in imagination.
- Compare to Norse Myth: Research the goddess Hel. You'll find that the MCU took huge liberties—in the original myths, she’s actually Loki’s daughter, not his sister.
Cate Blanchett proved that you can bring "serious actor" gravitas to a movie about a space Viking and a giant green rage monster. She set the bar for every female villain that followed, from Agatha Harkness to the Scarlet Witch. If you haven't revisited Ragnarok lately, go back and watch her scenes specifically. Pay attention to the hands. The way she moves her fingers when she manifests a sword isn't just acting; it's a specialized language of menace that few others could pull off.
Next time you're debating who the best MCU villain is, don't forget the woman who took down an entire army of Einherjar without breaking a sweat. She really was "Hela" good.
To get the most out of your next rewatch, try looking for the small physical cues Blanchett uses to show Hela's power growing as she spends more time on Asgardian soil.