Cate Blanchett has revealed she’s had “many” relationships with women.

The 45-year-old is out promoting her new film Carol, in which she stars as Carol, a married woman in the 1950s who falls for a young female store clerk, played by Rooney Mara.

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In an interview with Variety magazine, the 45-year-old was asked whether this was her first turn as a lesbian.

“On film — or in real life?” Blanchett responded.

When she was pressed as to whether she’s had past relationships with women, she said: “Yes. Many times.”

While Blanchett admitted she “never thought” about how she would portray her character’s closeted sexuality, the Oscar winner said she studied many erotic books to prepare for the role.

“I read a lot of girl-on-girl books from the period,” she revealed.

The mother-of-four, who has been married to husband Andrew Upton for 18 years, did not elaborate on her coy response, preferring instead to discuss the dangers of the internet.

“I think I’d end up in rehab,” she joked of joining social media site Twitter. “That stuff is addictive.”

Carol is based on Patricia Highsmith’s controversial 1952 novel The Price of Salt, but Blanchett stressed the film isn’t all that racy.

“It’s not Blue Is the Warmest Color, ” she explained. “That’s not the ambition of the film.”