(Photo: ABC)

Oscar-winning actor Cate Blanchett has heaped praise on Australia’s ABC to celebrate the national broadcaster’s 90th birthday.

Appearing in a video, the Australian-born actor shared her happy memories of watching the ABC as a child, while also thanking the corporation for helping her break into screen acting.

“The ABC gave me the opportunity to take my very first baby steps in front of a camera,” the Lord of the Rings star revealed.

“And in fact, my very first time ever in front of a camera was in an ad for the ABC bookshop. And then I was in an episode of Police Rescue, GP, and the wonderful series Heartland,” she said.

Blanchett also credited the ABC for shaping her formative years with its Australian-centric content.

“The ABC has also been an enormous part of my childhood. Playschool, of course, but also Sweet and Sour, Four Corners, Backchat, Countdown, Earthwatch. It’s a huge part of my childhood,” she insisted.

Most recently, Blanchett’s 2020 drama series Stateless aired in Australia on the ABC, months before it was released globally on Netflix.

The clip ended with a smiling Blanchett declaring: “Happy birthday ABC. I adore you, I value you, I treasure you, you’re part of the way I think and feel about the world and Australia.

“Ninety years young, happy birthday,” she added, blowing a kiss to the camera.

The ABC was launched on 1 July 1932.