Tautou rejected Da Vinci idea

French actress Audrey Tautou almost missed the opportunity of starring in The Da Vinci Code, because she was on holiday in Mexico at the time.

Tautou, famous for her starring role in 2001's Amelie, refused to go to LA and screen test opposite Tom Hanks, as she felt too young to play the part of Sophie.

However, the French beauty found herself being chased by director Ron Howard, who was determined to have her in the film, even though other actresses were desperately trying to win the coveted role.

Tautou says: "I didn't refuse to see him. He was doing one day of casting where he was going to meet everyone, but I was in Mexico and I said: ‘It's not even worth it for me to go.’

“I didn't see how it could work.

"I thought this character had my strong-mindedness but it didn't go further than that, and I thought at 27 that I was a bit too young when Ron contacted me. To me, Sophie was older."