Reese Witherspoon made her name playing the all-American girl in films like Pleasantville, the critically acclaimed Election, and the scatty-but-adorable lead in Legally Blonde before winning an Oscar for her role as June Carter Cash in Walk The Line.

Her new film is This Means War, an action comedy in which she plays a woman caught in a love triangle between two best friends (Chris Pine and Tom Hardy), who also happen to be CIA agents.

“I thought it was definitely a departure, and also an opportunity to be in an action film,” she said when asked why she took on the project.

“I hadn’t really done that and I thought that if I was ever going to do an action film I’d want it to have elements of comedy in it, so it was kind of perfect.

“Those are the action films I like, Mr & Mrs Smith, Bad Boys, Beverly Hills Cop, movies that make you laugh but also deliver action.”

She’s not been as prolific on-screen in recent years, but the 35-year-old mother of two insists this is not due to a lack of passion.

“I’m just very discerning about what I like – I’m really picky,” she explained.

“Also, I have two kids so that takes up a lot of time, and I want to be with them. If I see something I want to do or something that’s a totally different challenge for me, then I’m in.”

Internet dating features prominently in this movie, and although Witherspoon is a happily married lady she can see the attraction.

“I have to say that if I was dating, and if I could zip off my face, my ‘famous costume’, and be who I really am – I would totally do that,” she revealed.

“I’d be interested to see what people are doing and what people are out there. Lives are so busy and disconnected and I don’t know how you meet people if you’re not internet dating.”

In the movie she is in the enviable position of having two of Hollywood’s most desired leading men chasing her on screen – but has she ever had two men fighting over her in real life?

“Maybe my husband and my son fighting for my attention! Reese! Mom! Reese! Mom! Reese! Mom!,” she laughed.

“Other than that, I don’t date multiple people at once – there’s too much lying involved. I’m just not a liar.”