By the time she read the screenplay for "The Bad Lieutenant, Port of Call: New Orleans," Eva Mendes was already locked in on her aspiration to become part of the film. German writer-director Werner Herzog was her reason.

"It wasn't so much about the script as becoming a part of a movie Werner was doing," Mendes said in a telephone interview, speaking of the director of "Nosferatu the Vampyre," "Aguirre, Wrath of God," "The Enigma of Kasper Hauser" and "The Wild Blue Yonder," among many others. "He had been on my hit list for awhile. It's really every actor's dream to work with him. Then add that I had worked with Nic Cage before and I'm a huge fan of his, and I knew I was in if I could get in."

In "The Bad Lieutenant," Cage plays a police lieutenant in post-Katrina New Orleans, dealing with a complex murder case while also descending into addiction and making increasingly questionable legal and moral choices. Mendes plays Frankie, the prostitute who enjoys a special relationship with Cage's character, something close to love but maybe not quite, though the two share a devotion for each other, perhaps through their mutual flaws.

The role follows a diverse assortment of characters Mendes played in "Training Day," "Out of Time," "Once Upon a Time in Mexico," "Hitch," "Ghost Rider" and "The Women," among others.

"Some of the characters I've played are more extreme than others, and I guess you can say that I'm drawn to extremes in film characters," Mendes said. "I usually like rehearsal and breaking down roles with my acting coach. Werner doesn't like a lot of actor-y stuff, he just wants you to do it. He pays attention to detail and helps take you to an edgier place."

The film also gave Mendes the chance to know New Orleans better.

"I had no idea about some of the history, and it's fascinating," said Mendez, who is of Cuban-American ancestry, born in Miami and raised in Los Angeles. "This is a city that has been in everybody's hands over the centuries, and it stays so vibrant, even after its near-destruction."

Mendes says she is always on the lookout for good roles, but finds few really good parts for women.

"I'm fulfilled in the work, though, because I do believe the journey is the destination," she said. "I know that great roles for women can be created. I was watching 'Mildred Pierce' the other day and was reminded of how great those roles can be if someone writes them. You would think that caliber of role should still be around, but people don't understand how scarce they are, those good, colorful, layered roles."

To prepare, Mendes continues to attend class.

"Acting class is my favorite thing to do," she said. "I produce films, I have business and modeling careers outside of acting, but my collaborations with actors and directors are what excite me ---- that's the creative stimulation I'm always looking to find."