Class Is In Session

In the movie world, January is primary season, when actors, directors, producers and, most of all, publicists jockey--as discreetly as possible, of course--for Oscar nominations. One of the axioms of the Academy Awards is that the more difficult the subject matter, the better Oscar likes you. In that case, Notes on a Scandal should do well. The story of a teacher who has an affair with a student and the colleague who tries to blackmail her is a darkly funny commentary on class and sexuality. Its stars, JUDI DENCH and CATE BLANCHETT--both former Oscar winners and perennial candidates--sat down with TIME's Jumana Farouky to discuss the film, gambling and how to lose an award.

A BITTER LESBIAN AND A SELFISH PEDOPHILE: WHY DID YOU WANT TO PLAY THESE PEOPLE?

Dench: What you long for is doing something that's very different from the last thing you played. Because people's tendency is to see you in something and send you a script, saying "Here's a very good part." And you find it's something terribly similar.

Blanchett: Just with a different cardigan ...

CATE, TO MANY PEOPLE YOUR CHARACTER WOULD SEEM QUITE MONSTROUS. HOW DID YOU GET INTO HER HEAD?

Blanchett: The film doesn't set out to justify or condone the abuse of minors. That salacious aspect is the wrapping. And I like that Sheba herself, whenever she sets out to explain why she's done what she's done, the words turn to sawdust in her mouth. There's the moment when she and [Dench's character] Barbara are at the pub and Barbara says, "There's no but about it--he's 15," and Sheba says, "He's 16 in May ..."

"... HE'S VERY MATURE FOR HIS AGE."

Blanchett: [Laughs] Yes, "He's very mature for his age." And that's where it starts to become quite absurd and ridiculous.

AS A MOTHER, WERE YOU UNCOMFORTABLE WITH HAVING TO SEDUCE A TEENAGE BOY?

Blanchett: I don't know that it's got anything to do with being a mother, really. I mean, yeah, I personally have no understanding of it. I don't really understand 15-year-olds going out with 20-year-olds, let alone ...

HOW DID YOU MAKE ANDREW SIMPSON, WHO PLAYS THE 15-YEAR-OLD, COMFORTABLE WITH THE SEX SCENES?

Blanchett: He's very ... mature for his age. [Everyone laughs] I blushed my way through the entire thing. Those scenes are always slightly uncomfortable. The film goes to some very adult places, so you've got to be careful, y'know--make sure that his parents feel comfortable and he feels comfortable.

WHEN YOU PLAY A CHARACTER, DO YOU FEEL THE NEED TO SYMPATHIZE WITH HER?

Dench: No, you don't have to sympathize with her. People are always asking me, "Do you like the character?" But you don't make that decision about liking or disliking. The only decision you have to make is what motivates her and why.

WERE THESE CHARACTERS HARDER TO PLAY THAN OTHERS?