Mena Suvari after American Beauty

In Warner Bros. International’s release, the romantic-comedy Rumor Has It, Hollywood’s biggest stars gather to give life to this modern take on the classic coming-of-age film, The Graduate.

Controversial Jennifer Aniston leads the cast that includes Shirley MacLaine, the eternally handsome Kevin Costner and versatile actor Mark Ruffalo.

Also in the cast is American Beauty herself, Mena Suvari.

"It was wonderful. I just had so much fun working on this film because everybody was just so great," she excitedly informs us the moment we began talking about the movie.

The gifted young actress, who rose to prominence in 1999 when she appeared as the titular character (a cheerleader) in the runaway blockbuster and Oscar-winning drama American Beauty, met with us recently at the sprawling Ritz Carlton Hotel in Pasadena. She was dressed casually but was lovely, sweet and almost forthcoming with her thoughts. She would, however, occasionally pause and limit her answers when she thinks we were touching on her personal life.

In Rumor Has It, she portrays the bouncy and erratic Annie, whose impending wedding serves as the catalyst that makes Aniston’s character, Sarah, reveal secrets that may reveal her true identity and force her to search for the man who had an affair with both her mother and grandmother.

Suvari’s character provides a contrast to that of Aniston’s for, although they play sisters, both are worlds apart. While Suvari’s Annie tries to be perky and sunny all the time, Aniston’s Sarah does not run out of things to worry about.

"Annie experienced the loss of their mother when she was very young and she didn’t know how well to deal with her feelings and just focused on tennis where everything is perfect," she explains.

Perfection is not something this petite, blue-eyed and natural blonde beauty aspires for, though.

"In the beginning of my career it was like that. I had no idea when I worked back-to-back on American Pie and American Beauty, and it came out back-to-back and I really didn’t know anything," she says.

"When the movies came out and did so well, I thought that’s what happens. But I had to learn so much about the system and had to grow up very quickly."

"Plans don’t work because life isn’t planned out – you never know what you’re gonna get," the actress declares.

Suvari was born in Newport, Rhode Island in 1979. Her family moved to South Carolina when she was young before they eventually settled in California.

At 14, two years after getting into modeling, she started appearing on several TV shows, notably ER and Chicago Hope. In 1999, at barely 20, she saw her career skyrocket when she appeared in two of that year’s most talked-about movies. In the teen sex romp American Pie, Suvari projected a sweet, wholesome image, while in the more celebrated American Beauty, she was the temptress who seduced Kevin Spacey.

However, as quickly as her career reached stellar heights, her popularity started to dim after she made a slew of forgettable flicks and small art-house films that failed to find its intended audience.

"I turned down a lot of work that would have had me rolling in money right now. But what would they have done that to me?" the 25-year-old star says. "You have to balance the art versus the money-making because it feeds one another. You just can’t really do what you want to do. You have to somehow find a balance and kind of sell yourself out to a certain extent to get what you want."

"My passion is somewhat stronger than that. I can’t be told what to do," she adds.

Suvari, like Aniston, is of Greek descent. Working with Aniston, Suvari says, is one of the best experiences she had.

Although filming Rumor Has It took place at the height of the brouhaha surrounding the divorce between Aniston and Brad Pitt, not once did Aniston allow her personal life distract her on the set.

"When I met her (Aniston), she just had so much energy about her. She is very down-to-earth and very welcoming," Suvari says. "Whatever’s happening to her private life is something I respect. We were there to make this movie and we were all passionate about it. We were there to support each other and she is a very beautiful and strong woman."

Suvari herself is no stranger to the rumor mill. Months before she filed for divorce from her cinematographer-husband, Robert Brinkman, gossip was rife blaming their 16-year gap as the likely culprit.

She credits her family and friends for providing her strength that made her survive all the nasty talks.

"I get by," Suvari says, almost teary-eyed. "I think about it a lot and I have this great group of women in my life I never thought I have. They are so unique in their own way and are very supportive, loving, funny and intelligent. I’m grateful for that everyday."

Suvari is filming actor Scott Caan’s first directorial effort, The Dog Problem with Don Cheadle.