Until now, Britney Spears had the scariest bodyguard of any - OCRegister

Until now, Britney Spears had the scariest bodyguard of any celebrity I've interviewed. He was a 300-pound former professional football player who mastered the art of scaring interviewers with a glare.

Eva Mendes has Britney beat by a mile.

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The beautiful actress walked into a suite at the Four Seasons hotel in Los Angeles accompanied by a guard dog. My mind went blank when she said the dog's breed and name, although I could have sworn his name was “Eat the bald-headed reporter.”

“Isn't he adorable?” the actress said. “I take him everywhere. He's a sweetie. He only gets aggressive when he needs to be.”

That was comforting.

Mendes, 38, stars as an irresponsible mother who is more interested in having fun than in raising her bright but troubled teenage daughter in “Girl in Progress,” which opens Friday. The opening was timed to coincide with Mother's Day.

This isn't the first time Mendes played a mom. The first came in her breakthrough role opposite Denzel Washington in “Training Day.” Since then, she has mixed action roles (“2 Fast 2 Furious” and “Ghost Rider”) with comedic roles (“Hitch” and “The Other Guys”), while popping up everywhere as a spokeswoman for Revlon and other products.

She doesn't sit for many interviews, and she revealed why she finds questions about her career too personal. Still, she answered the questions with a smile and, most important, her dog never attacked.

ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER. When you were the age of your movie daughter, what were you like?

EVA MENDES. I wasn't incredibly rebellious, although I had my quirks. I couldn't wait to grow up. I wanted to be an adult. I loved school, but I was eager to leave the house. And the minute I left, I came right back.

Q. What do you mean?

A. I still live 13 minutes from my mom. I've never gone too far from home (laughs).

Q. When did you get interested in acting?

A. First, I went to a junior college for a couple of years. My mom said that if I lived under her roof, I had to do something. Then I went to Cal State Northridge for three semesters, and dropped out to pursue acting. I took my time with everything, so it's not unusual that I took so long to decide on acting.

Q. A better job choice perhaps than being a nun? Is that story true?

A. Absolutely. I was about 5 years old, and going around telling everyone I wanted to be a nun.

Q. Why?

A. We were a working-class family, and finances were always an issue. My mom was always trying to make ends meet. She was always stressed about paying bills, so that was a pressure on my family. I would write these love letters to her, saying that I would buy her a house one day and pay all her bills. I was so dedicated that it fueled me. A few years later, my older sister said, “Hey, Evie, you want to buy mom all these things but how are you going to do that? Nuns don't get paid.”

Q. How did you react?

A. I couldn't believe it. I was shocked. We still laugh over it every Thanksgiving.

Q. On behalf of all men, I thank you for not being a nun.

A. (laughs) I don't think it would have worked out.

Q. It's no secret that all actresses have trouble finding good roles.

A. Yes, all actresses.

Q. And the better-looking you are, the more difficult it is?

A. I wouldn't necessarily agree with that. I hear a lot of actresses make that statement, and I think the reverse is true. If you don't fit certain physical requirements, it's even more difficult to make your way through this industry. It's a cruel industry for anyone who looks different. When you don't fit the mold, they call you a character actor. So, when I hear an actress complain about being too attractive, it doesn't sit well with me.

Q. How does that translate to your career?

A. It means that everyone has their own frustrations. It can be obvious ones, or ones that aren't so obvious.

Q. What were your frustrations?

A. Honestly, I don't like to state the obvious frustrations and stereotypes I have to fight. It gives them power. I have a few things I have to fight against, but I don't like to verbalize them.

Q. Fair enough. But I think you should have had a starring role like this years ago.

A. Are you breaking the news to me that I'm behind on my career (laughs)?

Q. What kind of a career do you want?

A. To have choices. I look at a career like Julianne Moore's, and I see someone who has choices. What a career she and Annette Bening have. They are movie stars, but they're not in the gossip rags and we never hear about them. They're respected actresses. When you hear that a new Julianne Moore or Annette Bening movie is coming out, you might not like it, but you know it's a quality film.

Q. Is there a timetable for getting there?

A. No, no, no. I wouldn't do that to myself.

Q. Is “Girl in Progress” a step in that direction?

A. I don't see it so much as a step toward that. I may have misspoken. I don't want their careers, as much as I want a range of roles. Every role helps expand the range.

Q. You have played a lot of sexy roles, including this one, and you're the mother in this movie. Is that something you have to accept in order to work in Hollywood?

A. To me, it's no different than being funny or dramatic or quirky. It's just that quirky doesn't sell like sex. Quirky is not going to get me the cosmetics contract. When I want to get that contract, I tap into the glamorous and sexy side. To get a better role, I tap into the raw and edgy side. Sexy is a hat I wear. You wear many different hats in this business.

Q. It's OK if people think of you as sexy?

A. I can't control what people think. Nor do I want to manipulate what people think about me. I really believe that. I wouldn't say that if I didn't believe that.

Q. But it matters what the people who cast movies think of you?

A. We're getting into the area of being calculated, and my brain is shutting down. My career is not that calculated. It's about the work. I still study with an acting coach. I still take this seriously.

Q. Do you think the industry takes women seriously?

A. I think this is a great time for women in this industry. You're not looked down upon if you have a cosmetics contract, or if you sell ice cream in Turkey. Ten years ago, that wasn't the case. That's one of the perks of being an actress today.

Q. Where are you in your career right now?

A. I don't know. It's so hard to tell where you are when you're there (laughs). I know I'm in a good place, wherever I am.

Q. You have described this character in “Girl in Progress” as a mess. Was it difficult to find her essence?

A. I don't know. Part of me feels that I never found it.

Q. Are you saying that there was a problem with your portrayal?

A. No. I'm not sure what I meant by that, but it's out now, so run with it.

Q. Are you dissatisfied with your performance?

A. No, but there were so many layers to her, and she was difficult to nail. That's what made her so much fun to play. I don't know what I'm saying (laughs).

Q. It's like pulling teeth with you.

A. I'm just not that comfortable with that thing (she points to tape recorder) sitting there. Suddenly, everything that is private and personal to me I have to talk about. If I don't talk about it, I seem arrogant. I appreciate your patience.

Q. But I haven't asked you any personal questions.

A. Even my career is personal to me. I'm not trying to be a smart-ass when you ask me where my career's at, but that was tough for me to answer.

Q. I'd be better off asking you personal questions.

A. No, you wouldn't (laughs).

Q. I wouldn't dare with that dog sitting there.

A. Come on, he's so cute.