(Cover) - EN Showbiz - Gemma Arterton begged to keep the skimpy hotpants her character wears in Tamara Drewe.

The British actress plays the title character in the Stephen Frears-directed movie, and in one scene she displays her famous curves in a tight-fitting pair of shorts.

Gemma admits she had no problem donning the slinky attire and revealed she was actually reluctant to return them once shooting had ended.

I did beg to keep them after we'd finished shooting, but the wardrobe people wanted them back, she laughed in an interview with British newspaper The Daily Mirror.

The 24-year-old also revealed how director Stephen asked her to try on various types of shots before settling on the cute denim pair.

In fact, Stephen screentested me wearing several different pairs before he agreed on the ones that you'll see, she added.

Gemma says the fact the shorts were so small and figure-hugging made the scene where she climbs over a fence in them particularly raunchy.

It's a memorable scene, and ridiculously provocative, which is just what we both wanted, explained the starlet.

The movie tells the story of a journalist who returns to her home town in the English countryside where she meets and falls in love with a wild rock star played by Dominic Cooper.

Gemma has previously spoken about how she asked her colleagues in the movie to wear equally skimpy outfits on the day she shot the fence-climbing scene so she didnt feel the odd one out, although they werent happy to oblige.

I tried to make everybody wear hotpants that day, but they werent interested. It was just me! she laughed. (C) Cover Media