Cate Blanchett thinks there's a ''swathe of great roles for women'' in cinema.

The 46-year-old actress - who is currently starring alongside Rooney Mara in the romantic period drama 'Carol' - has dismissed claims suggesting there are only a handful of interesting roles written for female stars.

She said: ''Every time there are interesting complex roles played by actresses on screen someone asks, 'does this mean there's going to be more of the same?'

''We seem to every year find ourselves in the same conversation, that somehow it's remarkable.

''I think there's a swathe of great roles for women and swathe of wonderful female performers. I think it's just time to get on with it.''

What's more, Cate said her new movie's exploration of a same-sex relationship may have been considered ''more political'' had it been made a few years earlier.

The Oscar-winning star reflected: ''I think the landscape around the conversation around same-sex relationships has advanced in a lot of countries.

''The universality of the love story comes to the fore, rather than any sort of political agenda.''