Soon after being cast in creepy New Orleans thriller The Skeleton Key, actress Kate Hudson discovered she was expecting her first child with husband Chris Robinson. The enforced break helped the production find the ideal house to base their location, and motherhood gave Hudson a new found perspective.

The daughter of Goldie Hawn, the 26-year-old's other films include Almost Famous, How To Lose A Guy In Ten Days, Le Divorce and Raising Helen. In The Skeleton Key she plays Caroline, a live-in carer hired by a forbidding woman (Gena Rowlands) to care for her stroke afflicted husband (John Hurt).

You seem to be put through the wringer in The Skeleton King. Did you rely on the physical prowess of a stunt double?

Only once really, for the climactic scenes of the film. At the time I was having to lose weight so fast, I was in a very demanding workout regime, which was good for everything - it was good for my mind, my focus, my self. But I've always been kind of athletic. The stunt guys were surprised that I could do so much.

Physicality of another sort is required in the scene where you are bathing John Hurt's mute character while he is in the bath. How difficult was that scene to do?

To be honest I felt like I communicated with him on such an amazing level, because what we were doing was all in our eyes. John didn't have any dialogue but he had to communicate what he was feeling to me with his eyes. It was almost like an exercise in acting. I do actually have a friend who has cerebral palsy, and as far as communication goes, they hear every word you are saying. They are totally aware, they just can't communicate back. You just treat them as you would anybody else. So to me it wasn't that demanding.

Considering the creepy atmosphere in the film, did anything strange happen on set?

Dan Mindel, our cinematographer was talking to one of his camera guys, I asked what was going on and he said to me that was always one camera that didn't work. I mean these cameras don't just break. They don't turn off and it wasn't a problem with the battery - but there was always one that failed.

Are you at all superstitious?

Not really. In day to day life I have crystals and stuff. But when I'm working I'm not too bothered. Although I don't walk under any ladders on set.

Are you brave like Caroline proves to be in The Skeleton Key?

You wouldn't catch me going into that attic like she does. I wouldn't even walk up the stairs to the attic. I believe in all those things, and I'm not cynical about it, and if I sense any sort of energy that might be negative in any way I just smile, turn and walk in the other direction.

Have you ever wanted to put a spell on someone?

Only when I wanted to go out with them! You know, a little love spell to get a new boyfriend. When I was in high school I put pictures of boys in my underwear drawer. But I'm not interested in cursing people.

Did you do any research into the spiritual themes explored in the film?

I didn't research it because my character wasn't somebody who knows what that is. I kind of felt like that was her discovery throughout the process. I'm so interested in that in real life. I read Tarot cards, I'm into all that stuff.

What are your best and worst Tarot predictions?

The worst? There have been tons of times when I've been so off it's not even funny. But the best prediction I had was when I saw in somebody's cards that her father was sick and her sister was taking money from him. I came out and said this whole thing, I was on a roll - and I was right! That was the best part. She went "Oh my God, I cannot believe it!" I shocked myself with that, I couldn't believe it.

The Skeleton Key is released in UK cinemas on Friday 29th July 2005.