The actress signed up to appear in Tim Burton's 'Dark Shadows' - which is based on the 1960s gothic soap opera of the same name - because she wanted to appear as a bloodsucker and had been a fan of the original series when she was younger.

She said: "It was the first vampire I remember, and vampires have always been, and still are, kind of sexy. I don't know why. But as a young girl - I think I was about eight - I found it quite scary. 'Dark Shadows' when we were small was a little bit naughty, a little bit taboo, a little bit dark, a little bit sexy. It was rather racy for afternoon TV."

Michelle, 53, hadn't worked with Tim since she played Catwoman in 'Batman Returns' 20 years ago, but was so excited about the film - which also stars Johnny Depp - she phoned him up to ask him if she could be in it, which is something she never usually does.

She added to Empire magazine: "I can count maybe two or three times in my life when I've called a director. I was really uncomfortable doing it, and I don't think I would have done it had I not known it was him.

"He was very lovely, he was the same Tim. I always feel very comfortable with him, as we have very similar backgrounds, we grew up in similar neighbourhoods and obviously watched the same TV shows."

'Dark Shadows' is released on May 11.