NORAH JONES - NORAH JONES DEBUTS AT CANNES

American singer Norah Jones made her screen debut at the Cannes film festival yesterday, appearing alongside British actor Jude Law as their new film opened the annual celebration of cinema.

My Blueberry Nights, the first English language film directed by Hong Kong film maker Wong Kar Wai, is among 22 movies vying for the festival's coveted Palme d'Or prize.

Speaking to reporters about the film's premiere the director revealed that he decided to offer Jones a starring role because he was attracted to her "cinematic" voice, which he described as "a very fine instrument".

Jones, who has never acted before and who found fame as a musician, admitted that nerves had got the better of her when she first began filming.

"I remember the first take we did, my voice was really high," said the singer, who stars in the film as a New Yorker who takes a cross-country road trip after being dumped by her boyfriend.

"I was just terribly nervous and Kar Wai came over and patted me on the back and I relaxed a little," she revealed.

Although Jones was praised by the director for her work, she did not confirm whether she intended to quit singing to join her co-stars, including Natalie Portman and Rachel Weisz, in the film world.

Meanwhile the first Briton chosen to lead the Cannes festival jury was yesterday forced to defend the absence of any British films in this year's best movie competition.

Stephen Frears, whose royal drama The Queen proved a hit at the last festival, insisted that the fact there were no British films in this year's line-up was "of no significance at all".

The Cannes festival, now in its 60th year, runs until May 27th.