Breakout Star Ellie Bamber on Filming That Intimate Nude Scene for Tom Ford’s ‘Nocturnal Animals’

The opening scene of Tom Ford’s Nocturnal Animals (in theaters today, November 23) finds the lens zoomed in—like, way in—on a bunch of curvy nude women of all ages shaking their thangs. “I took my 16-year-old brother to see it and he turned and whispered to me, ‘What film did you just do?!’” says breakout star Ellie Bamber (Pride and Prejudice and Zombies) of the film’s surprising start. And that was just the beginning: Bamber has a big reveal of her own (and it’s definitely not little brother approved). We spoke to the English starlet, 19, on her potent double narrative—a story about a fictional story that is full of sex, murder, and regret that stars Amy Adams, Jake Gyllenhaal, Aaron Taylor Johnson, Michael Shannon, and Isla Fisher (who plays Bamber’s ill-fated mom)—and on getting naked for the Tom Ford film. “It was a big step for me,” she says. Read on.

Glamour: The Nocturnal Animals script is dark; it has rape, murder, and plenty of twists and turns. What did you first think when you read it?

Ellie Bamber: I remember I was in a café when I first read the script. The next thing I know, I’m crying into my bowl of pasta—I hadn’t eaten a thing. This lovely waiter comes over and says, ”Are you OK?” I was totally gripped by it. I’m away from home and friends and family all the time, so it really brought me to realize how important my relationships are, and how I need to cherish them because not everyone has that. It legit took my breath away.

Glamour: You stripped down for one very sad and intimate scene with Isla Fisher, who plays your mom—and the camera really lingers on you. Were you nervous to go there?

Bamber: I was 18 at the time, so that was a big step for me. To begin with, I was like “Ooh… Wait…” and then I just flipped and was like, “I have to do this—no stand in, just me.” I felt like it was important for my character development as well as for me to be able to do something every step of the way. More than anything, I just really trusted Tom: I knew he wouldn’t do anything for no reason. And the way he did it, contrasting our pale skin with a bright red couch, was just incredible. It’s all about his little touches that really, really add to everything. He doesn’t ever forget about even the tiniest of details.

Glamour: How did you psych yourself up it?

Bamber: Well, Isla [Fisher] and I had a lot of dark scenes together, so we created playlists to create this sad, middle-of-the-desert mood. I listened to a lot of Jungle, particularly the song “Drops,” in my trailer a lot. Other than that, I tried not to think about it too much, because at the end of the day, [getting naked] is not that big of a deal, you know? People have seen me in a swimming costume before!

Glamour: Let’s talk fashion.

Bamber: Uh, I absolutely love wearing Tom Ford. He just really knows how to work women’s bodies. Again, it’s all about the details when it comes to him and his team. The first time I wore him was at this year’s Venice Film Festival. I was walking towards the red carpet, with my my mom and my friends and my team around me, and I just remember feeling like a real woman. It was such a moment for me.

Related: Here are more movies you need to see before 2016 ends.