Samantha Mathis Tackles The Sandra Bullock Image

After her rough-and-tumble work in "Broken Arrow," actress Samantha Mathis is being heralded as this year's Sandra Bullock - a girl next door who can keep her cool and manage to look good while breaking a sweat in an action-adventure flick. Mathis tones it down for her next film, "Jack and Sarah," due later this year, in which she's an American nanny in London helping a single father (Jack) raise his daughter (Sarah).

Q. In your latest film, you're a waitress and then a nanny. Did you ever have odd jobs along the way to becoming an actress?

A. When I was 13, I got a job working at a clothing store on Rodeo Drive, of all places. We sold Rodeo Drive T-shirts with fringe and beads on the bottom of them - totally early '80s. When I was 15, I sold frozen yogurt with all my friends. We sort of took over the store, called Yogurt Delights.

Q. Complete this sentence: The best the thing about London was . . .?

A. Tea and scones in the afternoon. I just love that tradition and those scones with the clotted cream and the raspberry preserves. Even when we were shooting, we got to have tea in the afternoon. It was terribly civilized. I think we should embrace that tradition here. Let's just stop at 4 p.m. and chat for just 10 minutes!

Q. The worst thing about London was . . .?

A. When I came into the country, it ended up being this complete nightmare. They hadn't had my work papers ready for me so they said, `Just go through customs and say you're a tourist.' . . . I ended up spinning this huge lie. . . . They threw me in to this detention center for six hours. The upshot of it was they ended up taking my passport, they gave me 24 hours to get my work permit and then I had to leave the country to come back through customs. So the producer sent me to Paris for a day.

Q. How do you feel when people say you're this year's Sandra Bullock?

A. I don't see it. Her situation was so particular. And she's such an individual. She and I are friends; we actually worked together. I sort of get a giggle out of it. When I got the part (in "Broken Arrow"), I called her and said, "Guess what? I'm playing you in a movie. I got the you role. And people are saying I might the next you. So how do I do you?"