Julia Stiles' University Woes

Julia Stiles is facing the wrath of her fellow university students for being an "elitist snob".

The actress has come under fire from peers at New York's Columbia University, where she is completing an English degree between movies.

Last year Julia appeared on a TV talk show, and - at the producers' insistence, she claims - referred to the college cafeteria ladies as "mole people".

Her comment caused outrage among students - an editorial in college newspaper The Columbia Spectator labelled her a snob, and suggested 20th Century Fox was paying her tuition fees.

Julia defends herself by saying, "Oh god. The thing I hated about that was it was so misconstrued and people were really looking for something to criticise me about.

"It was upsetting. But what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. It taught me to only say what I really mean, and also made me be more considerate."

"I ended up writing the cafeteria ladies an apology."