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Hailee Steinfeld was one of 15,000 girls who auditioned for the role of Mattie Ross in the Coen brothers' adaptation of True Grit, which opened Friday. The 14-year-old from Thousand Oaks, Calif., has been winning huge praise for her performance of a young girl out to avenge her father's murder, and has been nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Award. Reached by phone in Los Angeles, she spoke to The Globe about tackling the part, acting alongside the Dude, and what's next for her.

When did you know that you wanted to be an actor?

When I was about eight years old. A family friend of mine was doing a school play and just to watch somebody who I knew so well, and grew up with, do something as amazing as she did her performance just really made me believe it was something I could do. I went to my parents and asked them if I could start acting.

What was it about this role that made you want to try out for it?

I have to say the project overall. The names that were attached was a big draw, the Coen brothers and Jeff Bridges and Matt Damon and Josh Brolin. And this character is just so iconic. What I love about this character the most is that she has such a drive, and I aspire to that.

Your character has so many great scenes where she puts adults in their place. Were they really fun to shoot?

I would go home at the end of the day and just think about, oh my gosh, I was just doing a scene with Jeff Bridges and not just any scene, it's a scene where this girl is playing the adult figure. It was a lot of fun.

Did you learn a lot from the other actors?

A lot, actually. I really feel like I learned more from their actions than any of their words, just by watching them and taking it all in.

What's your favourite Coen brothers movie?

I would have to say Raising Arizona. I haven't seen too many of their films since most of them are rated R.

Did you learn to roll cigarettes for this movie, or was that a skill you already had?

No, I had to learn that. That's what's so fun about it. I had to learn to shoot a gun and roll a cigarette which are of course two things no 13-year-old girl would ever be doing. I got really good at rolling a cigarette.

Where were you when you found out you have been nominated for a SAG Award?

I was in my room at home. I was asleep and I heard my mom talking on the phone. All I heard was, "Okay, okay, I'll tell her." So I walked downstairs and asked what's going on. She said "Everybody's calling to congratulate you." And I was like, why?

Is it still surreal to think you got picked out of 15,000 girls for this part?

It's still very overwhelming.

What was it like to act with Jeff Bridges?

It was amazing. He's just so amazing. Not only of course is he an incredible actor, he's the most down-to-earth person you will ever meet. He's just so sweet and brings this joy to his work that is so inspiring, especially for someone like me who is new to all of this.

I heard you kept a swear jar on set?

I charged cast and crew $5 for the f-word and a dollar for any other swear word. Then they decided that if I said the word "like" I'd have to pay 50 cents. I made a total of about $350. I donated it afterwards to an Alzheimer's foundation.

What do you hope to do next?

I feel like every day I discover new actors and new filmmakers. I realize how fortunate I am. Project-wise, I'm so open to doing anything now.

Do you ever slip back into character and start bossing adults around?

Of course not. But the other day, I did something and I was like, "Jeez, that sounded so Mattie Ross."

How would you say you're like Mattie Ross, and how are you different from her?

The biggest similarity between her and I is that we would both stop at nothing to get what we want. But with me, I would not boss adults around.

This interview has been condensed and edited.

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