Church was given a vamp make-over by the Face (photo credit: Solve Sundsbo)

Teenage opera star Charlotte Church has refused a role in the Hollywood movie Phantom of the Opera after bosses told her she would have to lose weight.

The 17-year-old said she had been told that she would have to slim down even to be granted an audition for the big budget movie.

But she told the Face magazine that despite often being told she should lose weight she would not try and fit into "ideals because I think it's really wrong".

"I think if I'd just fitted in with everything that everybody told me to I would've been in rehab aged 12," she said.

Yeah, my arse is a bit big but I'm happy with myself Charlotte Church

She also revealed she was offered cocaine at an aftershow party in New York at the age of 14, but after declining she ran back to her mother and stepfather.

Talking about drugs, she said: "Stuff like E, I'd be too scared. That I'd get a dodgy one and I'd die. And I don't wanna die."

Church is The Face's covergirl (credit: Solve Sundsbo)

Church recently made moves into the pop market and has been given a vampish makeover for The Face magazine shoot.

The headstrong singer said that despite the chance to work on the Phantom film alongside Antonio Banderas she refused to conform. "I get it all the time, calls from the management in LA saying, `We're not getting adverts and major film parts cos you're too big'," she added.

"Yeah, my arse is a bit big but I'm happy with myself. As long as I can sing it doesn't matter about the fame, it's disposable."

I wanted to try and be independent Charlotte Church

Church also confirmed her mother Maria was no longer involved in the day-to-day running of her career.

"You know what mothers and daughters are like - she was `I think you should do this, I think you should do that', and I'd be `Aw mum. Muuum.' I wanted to try and be independent."

Despite tabloid stories depicting her relationship with her boyfriend Steven Johnson as volatile, Church insists they never argue.

Church also said she would soon get access to the trust fund set up for her while she was making millions of pounds as a child star.

She was originally told she would have to wait until her 21st birthday but has now learned she can use it when she reaches 18, in February 2004, but insists she "won't be "extravagant".