Director Wayans, no stranger to comedy, says he counted on Electra to set the tone for his film. "I knew Carmen was the one," he insists. "It wasn't an easy cast.

"I held out for her because I knew it had to be someone who was very pretty, very sexy -- that you would believe could be in one of these movies -- and someone who was not so vain that they wouldn't go all out."

Electra pumped up the volume at her audition, according to Wayans, doing pratfalls, hitting the floor, taking risks he knew he could use on film.

When Electra finally headed to Canada to shoot her scenes, the rest of the cast had already finished most of their work. By the time she was on camera, the temperature had plummeted.

"It was freezing," Wayans remembers. "And she had to be out there half-naked and so committed to just being funny that you would have thought that we were in Hawaii. It was great."

It's welcome praise for Electra in an industry where being a beautiful woman can be as much a liability as an asset.

"You will definitely get people's attention, but it depends on whatever you have inside you to back that up. I think this movie is a great outlet for me," she says. "I can laugh about certain things in my life, and I have a sense of humor."

Dealing with the tabloids

That sense of humor includes dealing with the notoriety she encountered in her off-again, on-again romance with the mercurial Rodman.

And the tabloids? "After a while, you get that tough skin, and you realize, 'You know what? This is a part of the business.' It's gonna happen, and once you cross that line of being famous, it's just something that you have to go through."

Fame certainly doesn't seem to scare Carmen Electra.

Peter Borough Interview
about the lifestyle

IF you tell your mates that you're going to meet Carmen Electra and Shannon Elizabeth, you usually get laughed at.However, this time it was me doing the laughing, and they who stood there, slack jawed, with a disbelieving look upon their faces.These two names will not conjure up the most vivid of fantasies for some women, but every red blooded male knows who they are, and would love to be in the same city, let alone room, with them. So, when you learn the two regulars in the top 100 of FHM's sexiest women in the world have to overcome prejudice and stereotypes to make a go of their chosen careers, it makes you begin to fell human again."The reason I modelled was to help me get into acting," admits Elizabeth, "in American Pie, I didn't do anything to prove to people I could act."

Electra on the other hand, took a different route. "I posed for Playboy because it's something I wanted to do. It makes it harder for you to prove yourself." The common theme the two share is both are more famous for what they take off rather than what films they have appeared in.

The fact they are now starring in perhaps the best horror spoof to come out of Hollywood in ages, Scary Movie, certainly has something to do with their semi-clad past. The fact that they both put in sterling (albeit brief in Electra's case) performances will aid their pursuit of their shared goals. Their motives for the parts are pretty clear. "People always think that I'm really stuck up, or that I don't have a sense of humour about myself," begins Electra, "That's why I really wanted to do it. I love to make people laugh."

On her casting, Elizabeth owes a debt of gratitude to a previous comedy hit. "I don't think it (American Pie) hurt, I'm sure it helped me somewhat (to get the part). I know Keenan (Wayans, the director) wanted a blonde for my character. By the end of his casting, he compromised and did what he felt was right for the film."

The famous lifestyle, though, hasn't been without pitfalls for either actress, and both have been in the limelight which leads to obsessed fans. In Electra's case, the fact that she married oddball basketball superstar Dennis Rodman probably didn't help to ease matters. "I had an insane year when I married Dennis. I married a controversial person and all of a sudden, I'm in the tabloids," she begins, " But I don't regret it, as that was where I was at that time of my life."

Elizabeth hasn't married any NBAstars, but her fiancé has had to help her a few times. "The main thing that is hard is my fiancé keeping me safe," she admits "But I love the fans when they're true fans." Perhaps the most shocking admission of the day from Elizabeth, though, comes as she admits to not being a great fan of certain film genres.

"I don't like spoofs!" she frankly states, but then backtracks, as if to redeem herself. "This was the first time ever that I thought anything spoof related was funny." Good save. Electra, on the other hand, does like these types of film, but not necessarily the genre Scary Movie parodies.

"I don't really like newer horror films that much. I'm still afraid of them though! This was fun because horror movies in themself are so ridiculous, so to play that part and make fun of that was fun." So, what did the twosome think of the last great horror film of last year? "I tried to watch Blair Witch and turned it off. I thought it was stupid," says Elizabeth, and Electra agrees:  "I'm not a Blair Witch fan either."

Moving away from the great horror debate, the actresses admit the set for Scary Movie was a happy one. "I shot my half of the scene assuming they were going to use a football player," she starts, "But I guess Keenan went out and found a Prince lookalike and used him for the part. I thought it was really funny."

Prince is another one of Electra's past boyfriends whom she has remained friendly with, alongside Rodman, and she is hoping to utilise this friendship to aid her future aspirations. "I'm negotiating a (singing) deal right now. I'm gonna take time off and go back to the studio."

Elizabeth has decided, for the time being at least, to turn away from the genre that gave her her big break. "I've had the chance to do a little bit more dramatic stuff. I'm really leaning towards that direction. Short of American Pie 2, I'm really looking for a dramatic role or a thriller."

The conversation draws to the inevitable concluding topic of the Scary Movie sequel. But this in itself poses a few problems for the two ladies, as they have to overcome the small problem of being dead before they can think about making a much vaunted reappearance.

"Maybe I didn't die," quips Electra, "Maybe it was a dream, maybe I have a twin!". A dream, yes you are Carmen. A twin? I certainly hope so! Any you're admitting to, Shannon?