Django Unchained actress Daniele Watts 'mistaken for a prostitute'

A black actress who appeared in Django Unchained said she was misidentified as a prostitute by police and handcuffed when she was only showing affection to her white companion.

The Los Angeles Police Department said on Sunday that officers detained Daniele Watts and her companion last week after a complaint that two people were "involved in indecent exposure" in a silver Mercedes. Watts was detained until police determined no crime was committed.

On a Facebook page that appears to be associated with the actress, Watts says she was guilty only of showing affection in public. Her companion wrote on the social media site that because she is black and he is white, onlookers assumed them to be a prostitute and client.

Police said the caller complained that a male and a female were involved in indecent exposure inside the car with the door open. Patrol officers and a sergeant from the North Hollywood Division responded to the 11900 block of Ventura Boulevard in Los Angeles' Studio City section and "located two individuals that matched the description of the suspects, and they were briefly detained", authorities said.

"Upon further investigation it was determined that no crime had been committed," police said in a prepared statement. "Ms Watts and her companion were subsequently released."

An internal complaint investigation has been initiated regarding the incident, police said.

A video on Instagram shows Watts in handcuffs and visibly upset while speaking to a police officer.