LAURA CARMICHAEL

When I emerge from filming I feel slightly out of synch with real life, but it's also a relief.

We all have hierarchies at work - even on set, the runner would never walk up to the director and ask for a cup of coffee.

There is no way I'd have wanted to live in the Twenties. It was really crap for women.

My history teacher was utterly terrifying, but her lessons were very inspiring. She got me interested in people and stories, which then led me to acting.

Sometimes we do things that are really awful.

If I'm tweeting about being somewhere, and I haven't replied to somebody's email from three days ago, that's quite rude.

I certainly never saw myself as posh.

I'd love to work in the States; I'd love to work anywhere where you get a good script and a good part to play. But I do love British film as well.

I'm rubbish at Twitter.

I think it must be so hard to start your career with everyone going on about how gorgeous you are. To be in that bracket must be so pressurised.

It's beneficial to play against your type; to be chameleon-like.

I'm from Southampton.

There's something about wearing clothes that your great-grandmother might have thought were nice that makes you look older.

I cry at films and TV and even adverts.

I did all sorts of jobs after drama school - working in a bar, as a teaching assistant. I probably learned as much from them as I did at drama school.

As actors, you play people who are not yourselves!

I've been really lucky because I've managed to become wonderful friends with a handful of very talented British designers. Christopher Kane has become one of my very good friends - also Erdem. Jonathan Saunders is another brilliant talent who's very kind. We all hang out.

I've not sat with my agent going: 'Where is the next hopeless girl I can play?' They just come along.

In a way, it's good not to be recognised as much off screen.

I'm not recognised much at all.

I don't really get recognised very much.

I grew up listening in awe to stories of their wartime adventures. My granny, Joan, was a journalist and wrote amazing letters to my grandpa when he was a prisoner of war, while my nana, Mary, was a Land Girl, then a Wren. They were so independent, resilient and glamorous.

I have two sisters, and we are the best of friends.

When I'm in a tricky situation I often think: 'What would Beyonce do?' It helps.

The Twenties have this sort of attitude where you never know what's around the corner.