How is life in Hollywood going?

It's going well. It's great to be able to live there and being able to work here and finally having it a bit more integrated. I feel like I'm in a good place right now.

Tell me about The Waiting City.

It's set in India and it's with Joel Edgerton and Isabel Lucas.

What was it like working with them?

It was great. They are both great actors and very charismatic and, as you might know, they sparked together on set. We worked with an Indian actor Samrat Chakrabarti and it's really interesting because he has a Hollywood and a Bollywood career and has two accents as well.

How do you go with accents?

It's funny me saying that he has two accents because I kind of do, too. For some reason, it's more comfortable for me to act with an American accent because as soon as I have the accent, I don't feel like I'm me and I get to be somebody else. When I've acted with an Australian accent – I did it in Rogue with a very broad Australian accent – it's really uncomfortable. Actually, when I was at university, I was a telemarketer and I would get really bored, so I had different accents to get me through the day; French, for some reason, was very successful with the men and women liked the normal Australian accents.

You don't date Hollywood actors, is that by choice?

I have been out with actors but I wouldn't recommend it. No, I shouldn't say that, I don't really want to talk about my love life if we can avoid it.

Who is your favourite co-star so far?

I think I learnt most from working with Denzel Washington. He is an incredible actor and extremely focused. I learnt a lot just watching the way he did things. Are you mates with Woody Allen?

No, we are not good friends. Even though we worked together, we didn't talk much because he doesn't talk very much with the people he works with.

Did he give you any advice?

Yes, as we worked together, he did, but just not in the same way that other directors do. I worked with a director called Robert Benton and he was all about having dinner and asking what kind of music do you want to play while you're in the scene, so it's just a different style. I think Woody is more comfortable to have a bit of distance but he is very funny, too; every now and then he just turns into Woody Allen and other times he is quite serious.

What's the best acting advice you've had?

Woody said don't laugh at the jokes. Will Ferrell would be saying this wacky stuff and I would be laughing and Woody would say, "Don't laugh, just don't hear the jokes because you destroy the gag." Denzel Washington's main thing was to let it go. When it's done, it's done and you move from one thing to the next.

Is it hard to let go?

It is, when you're in the middle of something and then have to start doing the next thing. Your head is caught in the past then you can't get into it, so it's all about being in the moment and not trying to manufacture an emotion if it's not there.

Is there pressure to look beautiful?

Yes, there is that sort of philosophy there. You see a lot of people with plastic surgery [in Hollywood] and a lot of people feel like they need to do that but I find it tedious. At first you think these people are joking but you realise they are really serious about it. I guess, what's the difference in someone getting a facelift or fixing their car, I don't know, but personally I don't see it as a real focus and I would hope it doesn't become a focus with getting older. The women who I respect are people like Lauren Hutton, who are quite wrinkly and cool and I think quite sexy.

Do Hollywood Aussies stick together?

I guess there are always things that bring people together and there's definitely a community because we have all had similar experiences. I'm not always in that world but at times I am and it's really nice to kind of touch base with everybody else.

How are Australians perceived?

I think there is a very positive light on Australians in general right now. I think that Australian actors are very real and it's just kind of nice to be around. I think it's something that is inherent in our culture, which is very appealing.

Do you like being in the limelight?

Part of me does and part of me doesn't. I like that I can get the opportunity to give my opinion on the world but I don't necessarily like doing the red carpet and I hate sound bites.

How do you cope with being recognised?

I'm sometimes recognised and sometimes not, so it's never so much that it's too much. It's quite nice because you know that you're still culturally current but it doesn't interfere with my life, which is great.

Biggest indulgence?

I have a cleaner. I love it when someone else cleans the house. I'm very messy and erratic. I would have a cleaner every day if I could. I would love to live in a hotel.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

I would like to do a TV show in Los Angeles because I like working with different people. I would like to continue to be in the Australian film industry and to produce things that I think are interesting.