Tilda Swinton's Illness Helped Her Performance In Her New Film

December 2, 2008 6:20 a.m. EST

Los Angeles, CA (BANG) - Tilda Swinton says getting dysentery helped her performance in her new film.

The Oscar-winning British actress - who plays an alcoholic in "Julia," which was hit by severe budget cuts and shot in Los Angeles - claims the debilitating illness, which leaves sufferers with chronic diarrhea, helped her connect with the role.

Tilda, 48, said: "Shooting 17-hour days over six-day weeks, everybody with dysentery - it made that film. It's not that we made a film about an alcoholic, but that we made an alcoholic film."

Tilda insists she had a clear idea of how she wanted to portray the struggling character, who kidnaps a millionaire's grandson in the movie, but was also inspired by director Erick Zonka's vision.

Tilda said: "I wanted my performance to display the kind of inventiveness and imagination and energy and courage and va-va voom that I recognized in all drunks I've known."

Although Tilda is famous for her serious roles, she views herself as a funny person rather than a brooding actress.

She added: "I think I'm funny a lot of the time - but other people don't see it. Maybe people get put off by tall people with serious expressions?"

"Julia" will be released on December 5.