Tribute's Robin Stevenson talks to Kate Beckinsale about sinking her teeth into her role in Underworld.

R.S. What was it like to play a monster?
K.B. It was great, and I am glad that I wasn't one of the werewolves because it would have been a much more uncomfortable suit.

R.S. As opposed to being encased in leather?
K.B. Well it was latex actually, so it was completely low maintenance. The coat was leather and it was very well designed and quite comfortable.

R.S. As a woman I am thinking, "how are you breathing, how are you managing?"
K.B. I think that was a real concern because the director really wanted this particular look, but they wanted me to do the action so they designed it really well. It was a great costume.

R.S. What was it like to work with Scott Speedman — he's pretty hot!
K.B. He is and everybody needs to take a bite out of Scott Speedman's neck! He is so fun and we had a really good time. It was fun teasing him about the movie.

R.S. I was talking to him earlier saying that here you are running around with every gun there could possibly be, and he gets one and he drops it!
K.B. Yeah, I mean that's what the woman normally does. It's time! It's time for the boys to have the tearful moment and the PMS.

R.S. You did tons of stunt work in this — lots of wirework. When you signed on did you think, "what am I doing?"
K.B. I signed on because I really wanted to do all of that stuff and also I like it when I am scared to go to work. I like when you suddenly have to learn a new accent or have to learn suddenly how to play the piano or whatever and this felt like five of those things at once. As an adult you don't often get to learn something and be good at it in a very short time, and being an actor I find that such a fun part of the job.

R.S. Did you feel a lot more powerful afterwards?
K.B. Yes, I felt like King Kong afterwards and what was so great about this movie was that I could completely handle myself, which is absolute nonsense.

R.S. Now your next movie, Van Helsing, is kind of in a similar vein, more monsters.
K.B. More monsters, yes, but I'm a gypsy princess and I'm killing monsters again but I'm not actually a monster myself.

R.S. Plus we will be seeing you in The Aviator.
K.B. Yeah, no monsters in that. I just finished that in Montreal and there is some more to do in L.A.