Jim Carrey starrer 'The Mask' marked the debut film of actor Cameron Diaz but it turned out that she wasn't the first choice for the film! Chuck Russell, the film's director told Variety that earlier he was eyeing a model Anna Nicole Smith to play the nightclub singer who mesmerises Carrey, in the 1994 film.

"We met. Anna was charming and bubbly but did not have other qualities needed for the role. I never took the next step to run scenes with her," Russell said, eventually opening the doors for Diaz to join the film. "I saw Cameron's 8x10 on the casting desk and asked, 'What about her?' and I was told she was submitted but had not acted in anything else yet. I said to bring her in and let's see," he recalled.