ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: Yousaid that your parents were artistic.
I found this old video of myself, and its so funny.
Suddenly, I saw myself dressed like a boy, but I did it so well.
Laurie Sparham / Focus Features
A boy with huge glasses and I didnt even have a line.
I would just sit there reading, while my so-called mother would talk about me in the background.
So I was just sitting there.
For me, this reading was so important.
It was about taking serious what I do.
Reading that book became the most important thing in the play for you.I was so naive.
I was so in the moment that, for me, this was important.
I thought I was doing something very important, and I took it very seriously.
But now watching it, I can tell how wrong I was.
There werent even any lines.
I did it for the passion.
Afterward, when everyone comes down on stage, you’re free to see me.
Im smiling like Im so happy because I think I just had this big moment on stage.
Were you envious of those other parts, of the princess?I think so.
I didnt have the tools in my head to see myself in this place.
Maybe Ill do social work.
It seemed to glamorous to me, to be an actress like in the movies.
That was so far away.
Thats a good thing to find out this hasnt changed.
You said that in Luxembourg becoming an actress wasnt even an option.
I found one in Berlin, and I found ones in Vienna, Zurich, and London.
I went to all of those places to audition.
You were supposed to have two monologues, and I only had one.
So I wasnt really well prepared.
I had this whole story in my head that I was at a lake and why I was there.
Afterwards, they came and asked if I was right in my head.
They were really like, Whats wrong with you?You didnt move.
I realize being an actress means being part of this or that hierarchy.
I could feel that it was very opposed to my nature.
This is maybe why I thought Id direct.
Then came the movies and these castings.
Then I could just feel something happening to me when there was a camera.
I cannot explain it.
Even if it was a short movie, not something I knew would be seen.
It was just a simple fact of a camera being there.
To me, the camera is like a living creature.
Its a machine, but its also kind of alive.
I always have the feeling of being watched and knowing if it likes what I do or do.
It was like putting your foot into a pond and knowing that I wanted to dive into this.
It wasnt even just acting.
It was this medium, film.
I had to explore it.
The interesting thing was when I got this role inHannawith Joe Wright.
I remember coming to this huge set and feeling like I was home.It was so weird.
I should have been scared or freaked out.
The same goes for the camera.
Most actors ask me, How are you not nervous when the cameras are on?
For me, the opposite is true.
I was always nervous for everything around the normal stuff, like going out and buying bread.
As soon as there was a camera on me, I became so relaxed and cool.
I dont know what it is.
Maybe I feel safe.
Sometimes I think maybe I feel safe because I know Im not going to be interrupted.
Me, as a European, it was a luxury.
It was a huge house, and we had all the sets in one place.
You could move from one set to the next.
Lets move to the next room.
For a European, that was like, Wow.
And maybe that was good.
It didnt feel like a different universe.
It was something I know, being in houses from European independent films.
It was suddenly full of people.
I had a green room that was in a different place.
That was actually what was claustrophobic, to be in the city and having all of these people.
You are in the moment and present and react to what is coming to you.
I dont want to say acting in general because there is no in general.
Acting is always different and always a new person with a new way of working.
You couldnt just go and do something half-heartedly.
You couldnt go and do something not really knowing what youre doing or being half thinking about your lunch.
It wouldnt work because youd just crash against the wall.
