For the decade that Claudia Schiffer has been modeling, a dozen looks and twice as many trends have come and gone. But Claudia, she looks the same as she ever did. She ’s a brand anyway and isn't perfect maintenance the way of life for any brand?

5 ft 11 inches, thin, toned and very blonde in her requisite Blahniks' Claudia is totally rocking that Couture Barbie effect today. The signature tresses curl and spill over the famous eyes giving her that perpetual come hither look. Now we understand why. About the covers and day rates and stunning career longevity.

The face is no longer passive but animated as is expected from an actress. The previous stabs at the trade haven't really taken but this last excursion, James Toback's infamous feature "Black and White" ...they are going to have to file this one next to Larry Clark's "Kids" and right on top of Warhol's 70's oeuvre for sheer historical perversity.

In "Black and White" Schiffer plays an anthropology student named Greta and her closing scene, where she schools Mike Tyson, is by itself worth your price of admission. In essence Claudia expounds that women ruled society in ancient human civilization and Tyson sagely nodding, makes a toast and declares "They still do baby. They still do." Two extreme cultural sterotypes conversing about anthropology. It will be one of the most surreal moments captured on film this decade.

But Claudia is ready to be heard now. Her conversational accent is oddly enough, just slightly English. But then again whose isn't?

MODELS.com: So Ms Schiffer, what is it about acting that makes you want to leave the comfort of the fashion world and risk your credibility.

Claudia: I'm not leaving the fashion world actually. I'm very much still focused on my modeling career. Acting is an addition. I'm not pursuing one at the expense of the other. If there's a wonderful role available then I'm certainly going to do it. What we do is in terms of my fashion jobs, is that we move the dates around so that everything fits. I'm still, for instance, under contract to L'Oreal. But the thing is I've been modeling for 10 years now. Very rarely is there something new, you know, a new situation . I mean I'm not nervous when I walk onto the set for a photo-shoot because there is very little that's going to happen that hasn't happened before. But doing a movie, it's all new. It's exciting. Modeling is always going to be interesting to me and I truly love doing it but acting ...it's exciting for me. It's challenging.

M: Well looking back, how do you feel about your performance in "Black and White"

C: I...I always think I can be better. You know I'm always critical so I always see things that I could have done better and I say to myself, next time I'll have to work to improve this thing, or that element but I don't feel as if I embarassed myself.

M: You certainly didn't. Your character Greta is a very interesting woman..very clinical..and aloof and calculating. Did she frighten you?

C: Oh yes Very much so... It was difficult... because to play a role you really have to identify and relate to the character but this character was so unlike me in the sense that, she only sees what she wants. She wants what she wants. She doesn't care who gets hurt in the process. She dumps her boyfriends the moment they display any sign of weakness... What helped me to understand how to play this role was that she had a very clear, a very honest motto and that was "You have to be true to yourself". Do things that feel right for you. Do what feels good for you. Follow your instinct. That's very pure and honest and I believe that, so that was how I connected to my character.

M: Then given the fact that your part was improvised...

C: (Laughs) You thought the worst? No actually, my scenes were scripted. I mean they were only given to me the night before my scenes because James would actually be writing them even as we were filming. I requested that because I prefer some preparation. I mean I like improv work. Three years ago I did a film with Abel Ferrara callled "Blackout" and that was mainly improv. But I like that element of preparation.

M: In many ways Claudia Schiffer is already a character , in preparing how did you escape the Claudia character to become Greta?

C: It's difficult because people see you and already they have assumptions but that's what I like about doing very small, independent movies. You see, as a beginner, you are not perfect and people look at you and they don't give you a lot of breathing space to explore and evolve. It's like when a television actor leaves that world and makes a feature film . If they turn in a great performance, everybody applauds that but they never see the years of training and preparation that leads to that performance. But I decided I wasn't going to worry about what people would think of me. I forgot my life, forgot myself, went without make-up and just decided to take on the role.

M: Yours is not a name that would leap to mind for a role in a film about the dynamics of urban culture. How did you get plugged into this mix?

C: One of the producers had, interestingly enough, seen me in Blackout and thought I'd be really good for the part. So he had me speak to James. We spoke for a long time. It was hours really and later he said "I'm offering you the part of Greta." and I said "I'll do it!" And he said, "You can invent the background life of the character" So after thinking about it and trying to justify her, I decided she was going to be an anthropologist.

M: Interesting , because the film has the fascinating feel of an anthropological study gone out of control.

C: That's very true.

M: Did you personally feel the pressure of touching the racial taboos that James Toback confronted through Greta?

C: No. Actually I didn't . Because James is the one who wrote the script. I have so much respect for him as a writer and a director. I took on whatever challenge he thought was relevant for the part. I mean he is really an actor's director in that he pushes you to your limits so what you do is not compromised but strong...resolved . But I must say that I like that these issues ARE being adressed. I mean people have very strong feelings about the whole question of race and are so delicate when it comes up, but I think that is very powerful and very courageous of James to say --out loud--what most people feel, but never confront. This movie provoked a lot of emotions and extreme reactions in people but I think that is good. A movie SHOULD raise issues. It SHOULD make you think and reflect and decide where you stand.

M: Working on this film must have been quite an education.

C: I learnt a lot in the course of making "Black and White". I mean, I'm European so we don't have as much of a physical hip-hop culture as you do here in America, yet at the same time everybody wants to be like this. Everybody buys the CD's-- watches the videos on MTV. Everybody wants to be like the young black people in America. Very open. Very courageous. Not afraid to say what they think. As research for my role I listened to a lot of hip-hop music and hung with the Wu-Tang Clan and I learnt a lot. I learnt there are some very real racial problems still alive today but nobody wants to talk about it. There's just this uncomfortable silence. So I love that this movie is so blunt about all of that. It really captures a shift in the way young people are thinking. I mean this is how my generation thinks now . Its not like this BIG deal, this unheard of thing anymore for people from different races to become romantically involved and have children and live their lives together. It is the new culture and its not going away.