New York: "Elizabeth" star Cate Blanchett walked down the red carpet showing off her pregnancy bump at the Santa Barbara International Film festival and said motherhood has made her a better actor.

Pagesix.com quoted her as saying: "In a way, for me, having children has made me much more focussed and less neurotic as an actor. You just don't have the time to do what I previously thought was preparation but is just anxiety. It did take that neurosis away for me."

The actress, who is married to playwright and screenwriter Andrew Upton and has two kids with him, is pregnant with her third child. She received the Modern Master award at Santa Barbara.