Cameron Diaz beds a cheetah

CAMERON Diaz is used to tough acting jobs.

Shes worked with method man Daniel Day Lewis, figured out the plot of Being John Malkovich and managed to keep her hair in place in Theres Something About Mary.

But the actress has finally met her match filming scenes in bed with a cheetah.

Her character in upcoming film The Counselor, co-starring Brad Pitt, is dotty about the big cats and owns one as a pet.

She even lets the beast roam free around the grounds of her home which caused some major production headaches during shooting at posh designer gaff Skywood House in Denham, Middlesex.

Big cat ... a cheetah

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An on-set source said: When Cameron first started working with the cheetah it was strutting about like it owned the place. But now shes wearing the trousers.

It has taken a shine to her, which is good because theyve had to shoot a number of scenes together, including a set-up where they shared a bed. The specialist animal handlers have been close by in case the cheetah gets a bit carried away.

The building is pristine and the furniture is worth a lot of money, so the potential is there for it to do a lot of damage.

The Counselor, due out next year, looks like it could be a cracker of a film.

The drug dealer drama is directed by Ridley Scott, its written by novelist Cormac McCarthy and also stars Penelope Cruz, Michael Vastbender and Javier Bardem.

Better hope none of them forget to close the gates.

Otherwise the Essex lion wont be the only big cat scare this year.