AMERICAN BEAUTY - MENA'S LESBIAN TURN SHOCKS MUM

AMERICAN BEAUTY star MENA SUVARI shocked her mum with her latest role because she was too scared to admit she was playing a lesbian.

The actress plays free-spirited performance artist EDIE who indulges in controversial gay love scenes in hit TV show SIX FEET UNDER, causing her shocked mother to telephone her to ask if she was homosexual in real life.

Suvari explains, "It was a little unsettling for her. She hadn't really known that much about the show.

"When she saw me, I think it was about the third episode - where LAUREN AMBROSE's character peeks through these curtains and sees my character frolicking on the bed with another woman, I'm touching breasts and that kind of stuff.

"She called me the next day and she was really quiet on the phone: `So, I saw the show,' and it was really hard for her to say this - `Are you a lesbian?' and I said, `Yes,' and she said, `Ohhh.'"

In real-life, the actress is happily married, but she loved playing Edie.

She adds, "She's pretty different. She's a performance artist. She's a lesbian and I'm married - to a man. She's extremely secure and confident and highly opinionated. I learned a lot from playing her. It was kind of therapeutic."