Estella is such an iconic literary character – how did you approach the role?

She's a compelling character because she's not a traditional romantic heroine. I wanted to portray the ambiguities that make her so complex. She's remembered for her coldness, derived from her childhood with Miss Havisham that was stripped of human warmth and kindness. But in the script, there's sympathy for her love for Pip and self-hatred at not being able to reciprocate his feelings, so I tried to find a place for all her different colors.

You star with an incredible cast – what was it like on set?

Maybe because we were all working on such a classic family favorite the atmosphere on set was really warm and fun, even in the tense scenes. Helena Bonham-Carter's got a great ability to snap straight into character that despite the surreal, grotesque surroundings, between takes we'd be chatting about our favorite TV shows.

What's next for you?

I'm filming series three of the TV drama The Borgias [co-starring Jeremy Irons and Derek Jacobi] in Budapest at the moment. She's another iconic woman, and it's another game of dress up!