As the director of a James Bond movie, Lee Tamahori is surely not short of cash. However, reports suggest that the Hollywood film-maker may have attempted to supplement his income by dressing as a woman and working as a prostitute.

Tamahori was arrested in January in a prostitution sting after allegedly propositioning an undercover male officer. The 55-year-old has been ordered to appear in a Los Angeles court on February 24 to face two charges, that of soliciting an act of prostitution and of loitering with intent to commit prostitution. He is currently free on a $2,000 bail but faces up to six months behind bars if convicted.

The police sting took place on the night of January 8. Yesterday city spokesman Frank Mateljan said that the director had been dressed in a black wig and an off-the-shoulder dress when he was arrested. He had allegedly offered to perform a sex act for money.

Born in New Zealand, Tamahori first came to public attention with his acclaimed 1994 drama Once Were Warriors. His subsequent credits include Mulholland Falls, the 2002 Bond movie Die Another Day and the action blockbuster sequel XXX: State of the Union. He is currently working on the film Next, a Philip K Dick adaptation starring Julianne Moore and Nicolas Cage.