The Hollywood star, 42, was speaking while promoting her latest film Nine, which features huge song and dance numbers.

She said: "I want to see musicals continue to exist in my lifetime. I'd hate for them to die because hopefully it's one of those things that makes you embrace music in our life."

Nine, one of the most hotly anticipated films of the year, also stars Penelope Cruz, Dame Judi Dench and Daniel Day-Lewis.

Penelope said of her routines: "The day they showed the dance to me I was speechless. I thought, 'How am I going to do that?'"

"I enjoyed every second of the preparation but then you shoot it for two or three days and then that's it and then you feel sad that you don't get to do it again."

The film is based on the Broadway production and is the latest offering from musical maestro, Rob Marshall, of Chicago fame.

Nine opens in cinemas on December 26.