Los Angeles prosecutors have met a British actress who claims she was sexually abused by director Roman Polanski when she was 16 - years before she appeared in one of his films.

Charlotte Lewis, 42, said the film maker abused her "in the worst possible way" in his Paris apartment in the 1980s.

Lewis provided no evidence to support her claims and her lawyer Gloria Allred did not permit her to answer questions during a news conference in her office.

But Allred said the woman provided evidence to a detective and officials from the LA County district attorney's office. She refused to give specifics or answer questions about whether Lewis' allegations involved drugs or rape.

"Our detectives did conduct the interview but the department has not begun an investigation," said police spokesman Richard French. He did not know when the interview was conducted.

Lewis played a role in Polanski's 1986 film Pirates and is also credited with a role in the 1986 movie The Golden Child and small roles in other films and TV shows.

"He took advantage of me and I have lived with the effects of his behaviour ever since it occurred," said Lewis.