Thandie Newton at the 2008 Toronto Film Festival Photo by Scott Gries/Getty Images

Can you talk about the Guy Ritchie movie? What was your role in RocknRolla?
I play a crooked accountant. I loved it. Because I was the only woman in it, I was able to say: "Oh, this isn't a woman! I'm not a woman in this scene, I'm like a sack. I don't want to do it like that! I want to do it like this." And he is amazing at being [able to] say: "That's not going to work." Then I'd say something else, [and he'd say]: "That's going to work — we'll do it." With Guy, you have to be able to handle rejection, but it's not personal. And we shot incredibly quickly. We had three weeks preparation for the whole movie, costumes and everything. He thrives in that kind of environment. And he's got this… it's not a habit, it's a technique actually: when we get short [on time], he'll suddenly start counting down from 5. And everyone has to be ready. It's amazing. Even people going "I can't!" get it together. They do it. You've got to really respect someone to let them put you through that kind of "5, 4, 3, 2, 1." But it gets the juices flowing. It's pretty sexy. It makes you feel excited. Really, it gets the adrenalin going. So I absolutely loved working with Guy. I expected him to be that little "lad." But he's absolutely very pure. No bullshit.

How did that script come to you?
He wanted me to do it. I got word six months in advance that Guy Ritchie wanted me to be in his movie, but the script wasn't ready yet. Which is kind of clever, because it meant it was always in the back of my mind and I would always check with my agent… Then a month or so before the movie started, we met. I read the script in 45 minutes and texted him: "I'd love to."

Can you say more about the script you're working on? Are you going to cast yourself in it?
I finished a script, a comedy. I'm in it and I want to direct as well. When I decide I want to do something, I do it — but if it doesn't happen, it doesn't happen. I think I must be getting older. I'm more philosophical and not worried too much about failing. I'm seeing every experience, good and bad, as being part of a rich tapestry of self-knowledge.