'State of Play' stars Ben Affleck, Rachel McAdams talk politics, power and blogging

Ben Affleck and Rachel McAdams talk about their new political thriller, "State of Play," a tense fast-paced drama that forced all the actors -- including Russell Crowe and Helen Mirren -- to delve into careers and worlds they are not that familiar with: politics, journalism and blogging.

The Dish Rag asked Ben if he did much research in order to play a politician who's not all that he seems.

BA: I did. I went and visited some politicians and congressmen and women and hung out with them and had lunch, sat in their offices, talked to their assistants, saw what kind of cars they drove, went with them when they voted, you know, went to the floor -- tried to get as much reality -- looked for kind of little details that you wouldn't necessarily expect. We all see politicians on TV and you know, they blow dry their hair and they have suits and, you know, I wanted to get a little bit deeper than that so it felt like a real person and not just the image that you see that politicians put out, but the thing behind that, but also having the image that they put out.

And what does Ben think this movie says about the media's relationship with politicians today?

BA: I think this movie presents the relationship between the media and the government -- and it's kind of interesting because it says that the institutions are both a little bit corrupt.  It says that they have a symbiotic relationship where they both need each other, but they fight and ... they both keep secrets from one another and yet, they're the kind of twin pillars of our democracy and society.  So it was really interesting to get to play a character that represented one of those things, you know, opposite Russell, who represented the other thing, and that was really -- that was really fun.

Rachel McAdams, who plays blogger Della Frye, talked about her character's new-media approach to journalism as opposed to Russell Crowe's tried-and-true approach

RM: "Well yeah, we're kind of on opposite sides of the fence. ... He likes to use a pen and paper, and I'm sort of sitting behind a computer all day long. And I've kind of been seduced by this, you know, new wave that's come into this newspaper, the Washington Globe, in particular, where, you know, we have to sell -- sell the story and make it sexy enough so that people want to buy it and keep the newspaper afloat. So I've kind of come in as Helen Mirren's character says I've been hired because I'm cheap and I come without copy. That's who I am to begin with ... and then you know, I meet Cal and we kind of join forces and he shows me maybe another side to being."

Does she spend a lot of time online? Does she Twitter? Or blog?

RM: "I'm a little bit ... no [chuckles]. No. I have a little blog that I do with some friends, but beyond that, I'm kind of clueless when it comes to the Internet. I just got e-mail down pat. So I've got to speed it up, I guess.  But I tend to get my news from the radio. I don't know why, it's just the way I like it.

Did she look at the political blogs and spend time with other journalists?

RM: Yeah ... the Washington Post actually was nice enough to show us around the newsroom and introduce us to some real journalists, and [someone] from the Washington Post was on set with us, you know, all the time.  So he was, you know, a great source of information and you know ... when we were going a little too far, he'd sort of poke his head and say, 'That's kind of very illegal, and we would never do that.' ... We had a lot of help, actually, and spent a little bit of time on you know, the Hill, and learning about politics and yeah, stuff like that.

What does she think the film says about the media's relationship with politics today -- politicians?

RM: Uhh, I mean I think it's saying to be wary and to seek out the truth.  It's kind of like taking it into your own hands a little bit, but there is -- you know, it's out there and people are striving to tell it, but you have to maybe dig a little bit deeper to find it. Yeah, I think there are lots of things being said in the film, I think, in terms of that.

And what about your opinion of journalists now: Do you have a little bit more empathy for them? Has your opinion changed?

RM: "Yeah, I do actually. ... Especially, you know, with the journalists in Washington, you know, it's a kind of a tough gig. I mean, the pressure and the deadlines, and you know, having to keep your sources confidential and make relationships with everyone -- it's sort of like the movies a little bit."

Reporting: Sal Morgan

Photos: WireImage