IN AN ERA IN WHICH celebs will not only appear in turkey movies purely for the humongous pay cheque, but also endorse everything from steak (Donald Trump) to condoms (50 Cent), what does it take for a once hugely popular and talented actress to turn down ¤630,000 for a few days work? A month-long family camping trip, apparently.

After appearing in Alfred Hitchcock's acclaimed 1958 movie Vertigo, Kim Novak retreated from Hollywood for the back-end of Oregon with her second husband, Dr Robert Mallory. Determined to lure Ms Novak back into the limelight, NBC recently approached the 75-year-old with the offer of playing Brooke Shields' mum in the latest US female drama, Lipstick Jungle. To no avail.

This is not common celebrity behaviour, I hear you say. Or human behaviour for that matter, as most of us seem to work endless hours and not necessarily in desirable vocations to either earn as much money as possible or further our professional careers. Kim Novak's decision is a nice reminder that there are a handful of celebs out there with their sense of integrity and/or family values still intact.

Likewise US comedian Dave Chapelle not only turned down the coveted gig of hosting the MTV Video Music Awards in 2004, but he also walked away from a $50 million deal to continue his hit Comedy Central TV series, Chapelle's Show. He told Oprah Winfrey, that he left the show after questioning the moral integrity of some of the material. Yes, he used the word "integrity".

Another Hollywood starlet who's constantly in demand, not only for big-budget movies but also brand endorsements, is Natalie Portman. Regularly dubbed the new Audrey Hepburn, Natalie has turned down several roles, including that of Juliet in Romeo & Juliet opposite Leonardo DiCaprio because of the age difference and the love scenes.

According to Alana Varel of Starworks, who represents A-listers like Jennifer Aniston, most advertisers want the top tier of actresses. This includes the holy grail of casting, the aforementioned Ms Portman. "She has turned down everything."

Ah, how refreshing. I'd like to think that I too would turn down millions to pose with a designer handbag, but considering I didn't turn down the opportunity to write this article for a few euro, I'm not so sure.

- Simone Kenny