She has broken the mold however, with this latest scene-stealing role. "I knew I could play the character, that I'd be really funny and that it would be even funnier because no one would think I could do it, " she says. In fact, it took an audition and two screen tests to convince the producer and director, both of whom were too young to know who she was. And she later found out that Jacqueline Bisset, Raquel Welch and Lesley Anne Down were also up for the part.

She's positively blasé about going topless. "You don't actually see anythging," she admits, before adding, "But Owen (Wilson)- who is very cute- did have to put his hands on my breasts and they were mine, they weren't a body double's.

Maybe I had to to this on behalf of women out there for whom it would be the ultimate fantasy.

Not many woman in their fifties would have such confidence in their bodies. "I have absolutely no problems with nudity. I happily wander house with no clothes on. I don't have the world's greatest body, but it's fine, I'm not obsessed with it," she says.


She wasn't always so relaxed about appearing naked on screen,however.

"When I was very young I was offered a new series and there was a scene where Omar Sharif had to touch my breasts. I hadn't even had a boyfriend, so I said, 'I don't think I'm ready for this. I don't want the first time that my breasts are touched to be on screen with Omar Sharif. I'd like to experience that in real life first, privately.'" So she didn't take the part.

This time, she had no such qualms, nor did she do anything to prepare for the role - no special diet, no fitness regime and certainly no cosmetic surgery. Her lithe figure and elegant beauty are, she insists, down to good genes and healthy living.

"There are two wags to go: you either age gracefully and play the older roles, which is what I'm doing, or you try to pretend you're 30 and get someone else's face nailed or to yours. I take care of my skin, I don't eat crazily and if I do put on weight I lighten the load.

"As an actress, Botox is a waste of time because you can't emote. And if I want to tell my nine-vear olds I'm not happy with them, I'd like them to see that I'm really not happy," she says, creasing her forehead. "If I tell them to go to bed looking like this," she says, smoothing her face with her hands, " They'll think I don't mean it."

"The secret to staying young isn't facelifts or Botox, young lovers or major workouts or even expensive face products. For me, it's running after and enjoying the twins, and spending quality time with my older children."

Her brood is certainly big enough to keep her busy - she has Katie, 23, and Sean, 19, from her third marriage to David Flynn, and twins John and Kristopher with James. She's also close to David's daughter Jenni, 25, and to Kalen, 27, James's son from his first marriage. She's clearly proud of them all. Katie and Jenni are both budding actresses and Sean is at film school. Even the tins sound like prodigies in the making.


"They read every, night, they play the piano better than I can, they play chess, take care of their pet lizards and do a lot of art. One of them is already making animated movies on his computer." she boasts.