Eva Mendes needed a drink to do sex scene

Actress and supermodel Eva Mendes needed a cocktail to get over her nervousness before shooting a steamy nude sex scene with actor Joaquin Phoenix.

The Cuban American, who undressed for the first for a scene in 'We Own the Night', insisted that she normally would not drink while performing her jobs.

"I wasn't comfortable at all. They were very sweet and they poured me a vodka and orange juice and then I was fine," People quoted her, as stating at a press conference in Cannes.

"I'm very professional and I don't usually drink on the job but that morning I had a little vodka and OJ," she added.

The 33-year old also said that it was her first sex scene, and that she was glad that director James Gray made her comfortable with everything.

"It was my first sex scene and thank God it was with James Gray. Not that it was actually with James. He did it at the end of the shoot, so it was the last day and I was really, really comfortable with these clowns.