Courteney Cox is digging up the dirt for her latest magazine photoshoot - she agreed to cake herself in mud for the eye-catching session.

To honour her new TV show Dirt, in which she plays a ruthless tabloid editor, Cox had soil smeared all over her for the Los Angeles Confidential piece, headlined 'Pretty Mess.'

In the accompanying article, the former Friends star admits she's sick of the paparazzi culture in Los Angeles, and has no idea where top photographers get their information.

Cox says, "There was a party at my house for (friend) Jennifer (Aniston)... I don't know who leaked it, but all day long, there were paparazzi (there) - and I'm talking a ton.

"Sometimes they get so competitive it's dangerous... It's OK as long as it stays within limits. It's OK to go to a restaurant and get your picture taken - you're going out and you have to expect something.

"But when it gets invasive and they're sitting outside your house, it's gone too far. I'm kind of torn because I understand... but if I'm followed every time I leave my house? That's too much."