Lily Collins won film role after Warren Beatty spotted her on a talk show

Warren Beatty picked actress Lily Collins as his new leading lady after watching her chat on a TV talk show.

The movie veteran was casting roles for his new period movie Rules Don't Apply when he stumbled on Phil Collins' daughter on a television show and realized he had found his Marla Mabrey.

"He apparently saw me on a talk show in the morning and called my agent and said, 'Why have I not met with this young woman? I have met everyone else in Hollywood!'" Lily tells LatinoReview.

"He gave my agent (his number)... and told me to call him at home, so I just had to call Warren at home. I was given their number and I called and Warren picked up, and that's kind of how it all started."

Collins also tells the website The Theory of Everything star Felicity Jones was up for the role of Mabrey.