Hollywood actress Eva Mendes has accused America's film industry of sexism, complaining that male actors never have to deal with rumours of feuding with same-sex co-stars.
Mendes stars alongside fellow Hollywood sirens Scarlett Johansson, Jaime King and Paz Vega in Frank Miller's dark comic movie The Spirit.
But despite the number of A-list actresses on-set, there was no tension amongst the cast - and the star is fed up with fending off misogynistic rumours of cat-fighting behind the scenes.
She says, "I know how people like to believe that, but it's a very sexist way of thinking. Nobody ever asks that when men work together in an ensemble cast. I've been in the business 10 years and I've never had a negative situation with another actress - ever."
And Mendes, who began her acting career in her twenties, credits her late rise to stardom with helping to keep her down-to-earth, while other female stars battle problems after finding fame at an early age.
She adds, "I just thank my lucky stars for that. There's a lot of lost souls in Hollywood - a lot of young women who have so much, who come into fame and fortune when they're young, and it's very difficult to handle that."