Dec 2, 2008, 4:00 GMT
Tilda Swinton says getting dysentery helped her performance in her new film.
The Oscar-winning British actress - who plays an alcoholic in 'Julia', which was hit by severe budget cuts and shot in Los Angeles - claims the debilitating illness, which leaves sufferers with chronic diarrhoea, helped her connect with the role.
Tilda, 48, said: "Shooting 17-hour days over six-day weeks, everybody with dysentery - it made that film. It's not that we made a film about an alcoholic, but that we made an alcoholic film."
Tilda insists she had a clear idea of how she wanted to portray the struggling character, who kidnaps a millionaire's grandson in the movie, but was also inspired by director Erick Zonka's vision.
Tilda said: "I wanted my performance to display the kind of inventiveness and imagination and energy and courage and va-va voom that I recognised in all drunks I've known."
Although Tilda is famous for her serious roles, she views herself as a funny person rather than a brooding actress. She added: "I think I'm funny a lot of the time - but other people don't see it. Maybe people get put off by tall people with serious expressions?"
'Julia' is released on December 5.
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