Julianne Moore unveiled as face of new Pirelli calendar... but leaves nudity to the younger models (and the first man)

Hollywood actress Julianne Moore, who celebrates her 50th birthday on Friday, is among the models who feature in this year's famous Pirelli Calendar. The black and white limited edition calendar has the theme of mythology and features Moore as Hera, the Greek goddess of marriage and for the first time also features men.

The Oscar nominated actress is the star of critically acclaimed The Kids are Alright and the striking pictures come just months after she posed, semi naked, for jewellery designer Bulgari.

Julianne Moore, who turns 50 on Friday, posed as Hera - the Greek goddess of women and marriage, for Karl Lagerfeld's Pirelli 2011 calendar

In fact the campaign, in which her modesty is protected by strategically placed lion cubs, was deemed to risque for the city of Venice and removed after complaints. Moore is joined in the Pirelli calendar, which is also simply known as The Cal, by the Dutch model Lara Stone, the wife of British comedian David Walliams, who is portrayed as the goddess of beauty, Aphrodite.

Ukrainian-Canadian model Daria Werbowy poses naked with just a bow and arrow as Artemis, goddess of the hunt

The Pirelli calendar has been going for more than 40 years and is a limited edition publication given to special VIPs only - Prince Andrew is a regular recipient. In the past supermodel Kate Moss has also appeared, while four years ago screen legend Sophie Loren made history when she posed for the calendar at the ripe age of 72.

US model Erin Wasson poses in an ancient helmet and cuffs and fake metallic nipples

The latest calendar was unveiled in Moscow and was put together by designer Karl Lagerfeld with the pictures being taken in the Paris studio of Chanel earlier this year. Four men also feature in the calendar and they are wearing codpieces to protect their modesty and include Lagerfeld's right hand man Baptiste Giacobini.

French model Baptiste Giabiconi, and Lagerfeld muse, poses in a laurel and just a metal codpiece to protect his modesty

Lagerfeld said he had chosen the theme of Greek mythology because he had read the classic sagas such as Homer's Iliad as a child and added: 'I'm a visual version of Homer. I did it with my camera instead of with my pen.' Lagerfeld stressed at the presentation that he steered away from any sleazy content and did not pressure models to do risque poses and said: 'I'm not a dirty old man.

Austrian model Iris Strubegger is adorned with Greek symbols to portray Athena, goddess of war

'They know they can trust me. I would never do something not absolutely correct. There was no danger, no sleaziness,' he said adding that Moore was a 'dear friend'. Lagefeld also said: 'Nobody believes in these gods anymore but the girls in the Pirelli calendar are the goddesses of today.' American model Erin Wasson, best known as the face of Maybelline cosmetics, insisted the shots were arty: 'It's less like a calendar and more like a form of art.

Italian actress Elisa Sednaoui wears a crown of flowers

'If you're a huge fan of Karl Lagerfeld, you're going to want this piece of work from him, as if he'd released a new art book Italian model Bianca Balti who also features said: 'I think for a model the best thing is to be in a book or in the Pirelli calendar. 'It's the only nice calendar. In Italy there are so many vulgar calendars, like very sexy but Pirelli is just about art and beauty.

Karl Lagerfeld joins some of the calendar's models at a press conference in Moscow