Tony's Tiger

Did you have to tape the sex scenes in the script for your audition?
Yes. Me, alone, on tape, having sex. At first I was really uncomfortable about having to do this in front of the cameraman. But it turned out he had shot porn movies when he was down and out so nothing could really faze him. And the thing is, you're either an actor or you're not. You've just gotta do it.

Were you able to do any research?
Interestingly enough, I had already studied the Mob and worked with a dialogue coach for my role as Anna Lansky in [the 1991 film] ''Mobsters.'' And part of my family is Italian, so I didn't have to crunch on this one.

Most people remember you as Maria Borges on ''Head of the Class.'' Then you disappeared. What happened?
I went to Australia for eight years [she was married to INXS drummer Jon Farriss until 1997]. When I came back, no one cared. I had no idea how hard it would be. I thought, Well, I have 12 movies under my belt and I've been working since I was 6 years old. But I couldn't get an agent. It forced me to reevaluate. The last two and a half years I dropped out of the business entirely to study with Larry Moss, who coached Hilary Swank for ''Boys Don't Cry.'' People thought I was crazy, but I think you can never stop growing and learning.

You're featured in a racy Maxim spread this month. How do you feel about the leers?
I just walked into my gym and all the guys were lined up at the counter smiling and pointing at me because they'd seen it. That was hysterical. Yes, it was racy. But if it's art, and I feel it was, that doesn't matter to me. Everything for Maxim is eye candy, but it just depends on what kind of candy as far as I'm concerned. Do you want to have a cheap piece of candy you bought at the liquor store, or gourmet dark chocolate? Because you know the difference.