(Cover) - EN Showbiz - Anna Paquin doesn't want a "pity party" but still finds it strange that a fan asked for her photograph when she was crying.

The star has been acting for years, picking up an Oscar for The Piano when she was just 11. It means she's grown up being recognised on the street, with her role in vampire TV show True Blood winning her a new set of fans.

Anna has no problem with people approaching for, although she'd always hope they would be considerate.

"I've only ever said no [to a photo] once or twice in my life. Once was when I was crying. I was like, God, I don't understand this at all. I'm not an unpleasant person or stuck up but I'm kind of weeping into my cell phone right now, is there any chance maybe you can give me a pass on that one?' You know, it is what it is," she said. "I'm not asking for a pity party, but I would never go up to somebody who was crying and say anything other than, Can I give you a Kleenex?' But that's just how I was brought up."

Anna also doesn't like it when people try to take secretive pictures of her. She'd much rather they were open and asked her to pose.

The 29-year-old tries to remain relaxed about the situation, but her friends don't always feel the same way.

"I don't really notice it anymore to be honest. When I am out with friends, they will get kind of protective, and be like, Do you want to move, these people are staring?' I'm like, Oh no, we're fine,'" she laughed to Stylist magazine. (C) Cover Media