Rosario Dawson interview

Rosario Dawson talks to marieclaire.co.uk about new film Death Proof

Rosario Dawson, 28, unites with the irrepressible Quentin Tarantino for his latest film Death Proof, in which she plays Abernathy, one of a posse of girls harassed by Kurt Russell's psycho Stuntman Mike.

Tarantino writes so many great female characters. Is he in touch with his feminine side?

Quentin prides himself on being a girlfriend. He hangs out with a lot of chicks. You would honestly think he had been raised with a lot of sisters or something. He'll go out with the girlfriends on 'girlfriend' night when all the guys are not allowed, but he's allowed to go, and he giggles and has a good time and drinks girly drinks. He loves being one of the girls. He swears he is one and it's really cute.

Your character buys a copy of Italian Vogue for $27 as she's desperate for something to read. Are you as much of a fashion freak as she is?

Hell, no! I'm a New Yorker, so I grew up shopping in a lot of vintage places. Like my choices in films, I have a very diverse outlook on what I should wear. I like mismatched things and I'd probably end up on the 'worst dressed list' a lot more often if I didn't have my publicist looking out for me. Something else I have in common with Quentin!

So what governs your diverse career choices then?

I think I've always gone with the thing that's provoked or interested me in one way or another. I've worked with some really amazing directors because I've chose to do that. I don't just grab a role that makes me look cute or puts my star a little bit higher. I see a lot of people selling themselves in movies they clearly don't like but they're just trying to get to the next level. But I don't have that same rush of fear or agenda to make it in that quick way.

Deathproof is released on 21 September