Straight to the point. As an American girl, what do you think of ­us ­English blokes?
They’re very funny, self-­deprecating. Maybe a bit shy. I was going to say American men are a lot more cocky, but I have met English guys who are so in your face.

Your new film, Easy ­Virtue, is a Noel Coward farce. Are you a fan of witty English comedies?
I do really like that kind of machine-gun dialogue. Though sometimes I can’t understand it. There were scenes in Atonement where I was like, “Wait. Rewind…” It’s not the accent, it’s like a mumbling quality. I ­sometimes put the  subtitles on!

Is it harder to do than an action film like The Texas Chainsaw Massacre?
Running round screaming with no dialogue was one of the hardest things I’ve done.

What’s so hard about it?
Just maintaining that kind of emotion once my friends start getting killed and this guy is chasing me . You get to work at 9am, you feel great, you look great, you’ve just had breakfast and then you have to go, “Aaaaaaaaahhh!”

Here you’re learning the cancan instead…
I loved doing the cancan. I got such a kick out of it. And I got to keep my pants on.

Actually, don’t you kill a dog in Easy Virtue? With your bum?
I do. That’s a really bad way to go. I’m not a person who would ever want to kill an animal. It was a ­devastating scene [laughs].

Be honest: have you ­ever killed an animal?
I was in the car when a bird was run over. But I wasn’t driving, so I was an accessory to murder. It’s very sad.

Do you think you have more credibility as an actress now?
I do. But I still feel there’s a preconception about me. Not a lot of people saw The Illusionist, but a lot saw I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry. So people think, “Oh, yeah, well, she’s not like those good actresses, she’s just that actress.” So that’s the problem, and I’m trying to make the right choices to change that .

What’s your next film?
A crazy satire about the American health care system,  Nailed. I play a waitress who gets a nail shot in her head and it keeps changing her ­personality. It is like playing four different people. She is full of rage, then inspired, then really horny.

You’ve used body ­doubles before. Would you go nude on screen?
I’ve just done it, in a film called Powder Blue. It was cathartic to explore that idea of being ­exposed on screen. I feel ­totally justified about it.

Do you get paid more?
I got nothing! Those parts are usually in a minuscule dark independent thing and you’ll get paid nothing.

Do you keep in shape?
Yeah, very normal, nothing outrageous, like two or three days a week. It’s more mental. Working out in the morning gives me so much energy. I feel strong all day instead of hitting a low after lunch.

Have you missed out on any big roles?
I auditioned for Quantum of Solace. I actually had a good audition. It was that sexy, “I’m cool and I’m going to pretend like I really don’t like you, but I’m definitely going to sleep with you.” Maybe next time. We’ll see.

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