Australian actress Cate Blanchett says comments about her sexuality were taken out of context during an interview with Variety magazine last week.

The 47-year-old, who stars in new film Carol about a lesbian affair, was asked if she had had past relationships with women.

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“When asked if this is her first turn as a lesbian, Blanchett curls her lips into a smile. ‘On film — or in real life?’ she asks coyly,” the Variety article read.

“Pressed for details about whether she’s had past relationships with women, she responds: ‘Yes. Many times,’ but doesn’t elaborate.”

But at a press conference for Carol at Cannes Film Festival on Sunday, the married mother of four said the comments were misconstrued.

“From memory, the conversation ran: ‘Have you had relationships with women?’ And I said: ‘Yes, many times. Do you mean have I had sexual relationships with women? Then the answer is no.’ But that obviously didn’t make it,” Blanchett said.

The Melbourne-born actress went on to say that her sexuality shouldn’t matter.

“But in 2015, the point should be: who cares?”

“What often happens these days is if your are homosexual you have to talk about it constantly, the only thing, before your work. We’re living in a deeply conservative time.”