Hitwoman Thurman on movies and Mary Poppins

May 18 2008 By Gayle Ritchie

SHE played a drugged-up gangster's girlfriend in Pulp Fiction - then an avenging assassin in the Kill Bill movies.

But Uma Thurman says her real-life role as a New York mum means she has never been happier or more relaxed.

The Hollywood beauty - who is about to star in a film called Motherhood - will even swap her famous samurai sword for a pram to play a nanny in Eloise In Paris.

Her inspiration is Julie Andrews who played the legendary Mary Poppins in the 1964 film.

It will offer very different challenges from characters such as The Bride in Kill Bill and Mia Wallace in Pulp Fiction, which marked her out as director Quentin Tarantino's favourite actress.

Uma, 37, said: "I would want to be Julie Andrews any day of the week of my life.

"It would be a privilege. She is one of the greatest actresses ever.

"I didn't necessarily think I would get to be cast as a nanny but I feel very excited about it. And it'll be my first official children's movie."

Eloise In Paris is based on the classic 50s children's book by Kay Thompson.

Eloise is a six-year-old girl who lives in a top floor room of the Plaza Hotel in New York with her nanny, her pug dog Weenie and her turtle Skipperdee.

Uma revealed she's always been a huge fan. She said: "I loved the books myself as a child and have enjoyed them since then.

"The film's definitely going to be a different take from the traditional nanny in the book.

"I've always wanted to do a proper kids movie. I don't make a lot of movies that you can show children."

Uma's nanny character jets off to Paris for Fashion Week to chase after a stolen dress with one of Europe's top designers.

Director Charles Shyer wrote the script about the precocious Eloise with his 19-year-old daughter, Hallie Meyers-Shyer.

Shyer said: "The books consisted of a lot of vignettes and the challenge is to create a cohesive story.

"There is sweetness and comedy but there is also pathos and humanity."

Bob Geldof's adopted daughter Tiger Lily, 11, is tipped to appear in the big-screen adaptation. She is competing against nine other actresses for the lead part of Eloise.

Filming will take place in London, Paris and New York and is due to start this summer.

Uma's big-screen performances have won her rave reviews but also attracted unwanted attention from a sinister stalker.

Former mental patient Jack Jordan was this month convicted of harassment after lurking outside the star's New York home and threatening to kill himself unless they could be together. He was accused of sending her a picture of a bride with the head ripped off.

Uma was quick to dispel rumours of a third Kill Bill movie.

She said: "At the moment, there is no plan for another movie. It's just such a fan favourite.

"But I would love to do something more physical again.

"I loved doing it because it empowers women. I love when women come up to me and say, 'I've seen the Kill Bill movies a bunch of times and it really made me feel stronger." Busy Uma's upcoming film roles will see her leaving New York to go on location for the first time in five years.

Her two children, Maya, six, and Levon, 10, will travel with her.

Uma, who divorced fellow actor Ethan Hawke in 2004, said: "It's complicated. I don't know how I'm going to do it but I'm very excited about it. I've been completely shut down in New York.

"I haven't been willing to be open to anything. I've been very fixed that I was just going to put my kids first and I only worked out of New York.

"I'm kind of excited to get to feel like it's time for me. I'm allowed to choose from everything in the world, for once. I'm thrilled."

Uma has her work cut out with a barrage of other films on the horizon, such as Motherhood, The Life Before Her Eyes, My Zinc Bed and The Accidental Husband but she's enjoying her career more than ever.

Uma said: "I have to say that I'm very, very happy. I'm really loving my work. I feel like a kid again. I think my life changed a little bit and work is such a privilege. It's such a pleasure.

"It's fascinating to me to still get to explore different people, human beings, and what happens to you when you do it.

"I don't think you have to limit yourself at any age. I've found better roles now.

"I've kind of gotten over my obsession with just trying to do every genre.

"Maybe that's because I did them all. I like to keep doing what I love, exploring new characters, new worlds and lives."

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