Eva Mendes: 'I carried a knife'

Rex Features

Eva Mendes has admitted to carrying a knife and mace for protection.

The 34-year-old revealed that she had the weapons while working on 2001's violent crime drama Training Day with Denzel Washington.

The actress told Interview magazine: "I did carry a little blade. My God, with obviously no intention to ever use it. I had mace as well. But the blade sounded cooler in interviews. I was young and stupid."

Mendes added that she was going through a rebellious "Angelina Jolie phase" at the time.

"That was my controversial stage where I'd just started acting," she explained. "I went through my little Angelina Jolie phase, like I was really tough."