Natalie Dormer: 'Writing my own film was illuminating'

Natalie Dormer has "five times more respect" for writers after penning her own movie script.

The 34-year-old actress is most famous for her roles in movie franchise The Hunger Games and TV series Game of Thrones. But she has explored another talent in writing, after working with her film director fiance Anthony Byrne on new project In Darkness.

The project was challenging for Natalie, but gave her a whole new perspective on just how talented movie writers are.

"The writing experience was really illuminating. I had so much respect for writers before, so I have five times as much now," Natalie told Harper's Bazaar magazine of In Darkness, "It takes a lot of character not to lose your confidence, just like when you start out as an actor it takes a lot of confidence to learn to separate your personal stuff from being rejected from an audition."

The Hunger Games star adds the mechanics of what happens on the other side of the camera, before script even lands in front of an actor, is lengthy and laborious. But she is grateful to be a part of the behind the scenes action as it has given her a whole new insight.

"I've been a very lucky girl with The Hunger Games and Game of Thrones, to be a part of these massive phenomena, so to walk down the line with my producers and with Anthony and learn independent filmmaking and how hard it is has been is a very educational experience for me," she explained.

As well as her screen roles, Natalie has had success in theater roles. And returning to the stage is something the actress is keen to do at some point in the future.

"I'm really happy insofar as what I've managed to do up to this point," she said. "I feel very lucky in being able to do theater, TV and film; I've managed to consistently do all three mediums. There's a lot more mobility for actors to do that in this day and age than there used to be. There's no barriers. If I can keep jumping between medium and jumping between genre a little bit then that's the ideal."