Amy Poehler hates gambling.

Amy Poehler

Amy Poehler

The 45-year-old actress may star as one half of a couple who opens an illicit casino in new movie 'The House' but while researching the film, she discovered risking her cash just makes her "grouchy" and her evenings felt ruined if she suffered a loss.

She told the New York Daily News newspaper: "We had to spend some time in Las Vegas.

"I realised that I get too grouchy when I lose my money. Like my trip is ruined when I have to hand over my money to a man in a shiny vest. I would much rather have a very fancy dinner and go see Britney [Spears]."

Amy signed up for the film just because she was keen to work with her former 'Saturday Night Live' castmate and 'Blades of Glory' co-star Will Ferrell again.

She said: "He can play super alpha-maniac and then really dumb low-status guy.

"He's just the funniest, a great person. I think we work in a similar way. We like to work hard and be nice, normal people."

Meanwhile, after being left disheartened by the presidential elections, Amy is being cheered by spending time with pals including Tina Fey and Rashida Jones.

She said: "The news is so bleak, everybody feels so desperate and in these times, deep, hearty laughs feel like oxygen. Sometimes they feel like things that can get through grief."

And the former 'Parks and Recreation' star recalled the advice she gave to sons Archie, eight, and six-year-old Abel - who she has with ex-husband Will Arnett - as they watched the results come through and learned Donald Trump had triumphed over rival Hillary Clinton.

She said: "The night turned into a complete disaster where I had to remind them that they're white boys who are going to grow up to be white men and they're going to have to decide what kind of men they want to be in the world.

"You try to create little compassionate people and try to keep them tenderhearted for as long as you can. God, it's hard."

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