OSCAR winner Kathy Bates says she loves playing eccentric characters like ageing hippy Roberta Hertzel in About Schmidt. And it seems it doesn't do her career any harm, either.

Bates, who is tipped for a best supporting actress Oscar for the role explains "I'd rather play somebody who's psychotic than somebody who's just bland."

Quite right too, Kathy. Leave that to the rest of Hollywood.