By LOUIS B. HOBSON --

NEW YORK -- When you're on the cover of Rolling Stone, it's difficult to pretend you're living an ordinary life.

In the past nine years, Cameron Diaz has graced many a magazine cover. She became an international model at 16, so selling beauty was a way of life.

"What was so different about the Rolling Stone cover was that it was a story about Cameron Diaz the actress, not a picture of me selling some company's cosmetics or clothes," explains Diaz.

"I've only been acting for four years, so I had to pinch myself to believe people were accepting me as an actress."

Diaz made her film debut as the object of Jim Carrey's lust in The Mask. She then made a string of low-budget independent films, such as The Last Supper, She's the One and Feeling Minnesota.

"I knew nothing about acting or making films when I was shooting The Mask. I remember coming up to the director (Charles Russell) one day and asking him if he might know where I could take my family to see the movie when it was finished.

"I couldn't conceive that it would open on 2,000 screens the same day."

While she was shooting Feeling Minnesota, Diaz had a brief affair with co-star Vincent D'Onofrio, whom she credits with teaching her the fundamentals of acting.

It was during this period that she met her current beau Matt Dillon, who was filming in the same area.

"Matt and I were both unavailable when we met, but the chemistry was obvious. When we met again a year later, it was instant attraction, so you could say it was love at second sight."

Diaz says she and Dillon are actively looking for a project that will demonstrate their off-screen chemistry.

"Matt and I like each other so much that we want an excellent vehicle for our first movie together. It's going to be around for a very long time, so picking the film is not something we want to fool around with."

Diaz insists she's just experienced the best screen chemistry she's had with any male co-star. In A Life Less Ordinary, Diaz stars as a spoiled rich girl who is taken hostage by an inept kidnapper played by Ewan McGregor.

"We laughed for two months solid. Ewan is a remarkable talent. Every thing he does for the camera is so truthful and believable.

"I learn something new about acting and about myself each time out. I never had any real aspirations to be an actress, but now that I've fallen into this career, I can't believe how lucky I am."

Stumbling and falling are words Diaz often uses to describe her actions.

"I'm a very physical person, but I have a tendency to knock things over. I'm great in a gym, but not in a china shop."

Diaz is no longer embarrassed by her klutzy behavior.

"After the karaoke scene in My Best Friend's Wedding, it's impossible to embarrass me."

Diaz revealed her tone-deaf singing for millions of fans when Julia Roberts forced her to sing off-key.

"I've actually broken a karaoke machine -- I was singing Billy Joel's Big Shot and got muddled so badly that I started laughing.

"I have this loud, braying laugh that scrambled the karaoke screen. They had to bring in a technician to fix it."

Diaz would like to find a technician who could magically make some nude photos of her disappear. The photos recently appeared on the Internet's Celebrity Sleuth.

"I was very young and this photographer took advantage of my naivete.

"It was my fault because I gave permission. I thought at the time I could handle the nudity thing because I'm not afraid of my body. It's just that he took those photos six years ago and sold them as if he'd taken them this year."

There are days when Diaz wishes she hadn't been quite so candid in her interviews for The Mask.

She hinted at a wild youth in which drugs and alcohol played a major role. She told of getting alcohol poisoning in Australia, of experimenting with drugs in Japan and an affair with video producer Carlos de La Torre.

"My past is in print. Sometimes I wish it wasn't, but I'm living an incredible present, so it doesn't really have much of an effect on me if people keep digging it up."

Her only regret is the pain such stories could cause her family.

"My family is my anchor. I couldn't think of doing anything without my family.

"They've supported me in every choice I've made. I never want it to look as if I'm abusing their faith in me."


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