Diablo Cody is ''obsessed'' with Rick Springfield.

The 'Ricki and the Flash' screenwriter has admitted she was thrilled to work with the rock star as she thinks he has the ''charisma'' movie stars lack.

She said: ''I'm just obsessed with Rick Springfield! I think everybody was by the time we wrapped. There's just something about rock stars, they're way cooler than movie people to me.

''He just exudes the rock-star charisma and I want to be his friend so badly. The guy can really shred!''

And Diablo wanted her movie to also bring something new to cinema, insisting romance between older characters is less prevalent in mainstream movies.

She added to The Guardian newspaper: ''I thought to myself, who am I not seeing represented? Being a writer who lives off her ideas, and whose ideas are always dwindling, I try to think what hasn't been done lately.

''I thought I haven't really seen a lot of romantic stuff with older performers, older people. So now, thanks to me, you can get to see Meryl Streep make out with Rick Springfield! That is my gift to the world!''