Your new film Stoker is quite Gothic, were you ever a Goth?
I don’t think I ever ‘did’ Goth, but I was probably a loner.
How did you lighten up after a day on set?
Matthew Goode and I would go off dancing at a honky-tonk in Nashville called Robert’s Western World. It’s the kind of place where everyone’s up dancing, grandparents alongside young people.
You’re a classically trained dancer, does that make you a Country and Western whizz?
It’s hard to loosen up on the dancefloor, but probably thanks to the Country dancing, I feel like I’ve cracked it. I still can’t dance in a club.
Do you miss your dancer’s body?
I miss dancing, but I don’t miss the industry and the gnarly toes from pointe work. And I’ve lost my strength as I don’t really exercise any more.
You had an extra pocket sewn into your costume for Jane Eyre in which to carry a digital camera. Do you do the same for all your films?
For Jane Eyre there was so much fabric in my skirt that it was possible, but it’s not always so easy. I have got into trouble with costume departments for having a bulge.
What were Tim Burton and Helena Bonham Carter like to work with on Alice in Wonderland?
They’re a powerhouse couple and there’s a level of shorthand between them, for sure. She’s in a good position because she can tell him off and be very honest, which is helpful.
You once said that few movies portray what life is actually like for young women. How would you prefer to see them portrayed?
Representations of teenagers in films are often idealised; I never identified with the popular, pretty girl in school. I think adolescence is a time of awkwardness and discomfort, so it’s great to find parts more along those lines.
What’s your first port of call in London?
Marks & Spencer, to stock up on a year’s worth of knickers and socks.
Stoker is out in cinemas today
