The movie buffs

Much has been made of their rivalry for the crown of Hollywood's hottest young actress.

But Keira Knightley and Scarlett Johansson, who had never met before, got to know each other pretty quickly after being pictured together in just their birthday suits for the annual Hollywood edition of Vanity Fair.

Pride and Prejudice star Miss Knightley, 20, and Match Point actress Miss Johansson, 21, were persuaded to bare all for the magazine cover.

The two were originally supposed to be joined by Wedding Crashers actress Rachel McAdams. But after she pulled out because she did not want to go naked, the magazine found itself with a problem on its hands.

So fashion designer Tom Ford, who was guest artistic director on the special edition, was persuaded by the magazine's famous photographer Annie Leibovitz to step into the breach.

'People won't believe me, but I did not plan on being on the cover,' said Ford, Gucci's former creative director. 'Three girls in a bed is a bedful of girls. Two girls in a bed are lesbians. At the end of the shoot, Annie said, "Can you slip yourself in there?'''

Openly gay Ford is pictured nuzzling up to Miss Knightley, who wore only a belly button ring.

The actress later admitted that she was nervous about anyone walking in on the shoot.

'I just wanted to put up a Do Not Disturb sign because I was so embarrassed about everyone going in,' she said.

Miss Johannson, who was once told to dress more modestly by her Match Point director Woody Allen, seemed to enjoy it slightly more. Looking at Miss Knightley, she said jokingly: 'Very nice seeing you!'

Ford said: 'We didn't force anyone to take off their clothes. In a couple of instances we had to ask them to put them back on.

'I've always said, and I mean it, that I find people better looking without clothes than with clothes.'

The magazine's special Hollywood edition - which will be on sale on February 10 - also features Angelina Jolie in a bath, Munich actor Eric Bana in a white robe and Pamela Anderson topless.