Rhys-meyers Attacked For Dog Dinner

Mitchell coos about the movie hunk's "adventurous pallet" but officials at People For The Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) are less than impressed.

The actress insists dining out in rural China, where she and Rhys-Meyers, shot new film The Children of Huang Shi was a challenge - and her co-star decided to go native.

She says, "The challenge was ordering lunch and getting chicken claws, just these weird things that you don't expect and you're not used to so you're constantly adjusting.

"Jonathan did the dog's meat. We were in some restaurant and there was dog meat on the menu and there was someone next to us just sitting there with their Chihuahua in a handbag.

"I was thinking, 'That could've been dessert.'"

But PETA bosses are appalled that Rhys-Meyers, who plays British journalist George Hogg in the Roger Spottiswoode film, sampled man's best friend.

Spokesman Michael McGraw rages, "Most people are appalled to hear about Jonathan Rhys Meyers eating dog flesh."

And he urges anyone sickened by the story to consider turning veggie: "They should take a look at what's on their own plates. Chickens and cows may not be as cute and cuddly as puppies, but when it comes to their ability to feel pain and suffer, they are no different from animals people call pets.

"The best way to avoid harming any animals is simply not to eat them and go veggie."