Sanaa Lathan drew inspiration from real-life stalker situation for new role

Actress Sanaa Lathan used her scary experience with a real-life stalker to help her prepare for her role in new thriller The Perfect Guy.

Shawn Caples was sentenced to three years probation and psychiatric treatment after he was arrested in June, 2014, after contractors working on Lathan's house found him asleep in her laundry room.

The actress was terrified by the invasion of privacy, but she found a way to turn a negative into a positive as she prepared to play a woman who makes the mistake of falling for an obsessed stalker.

She says, "I swear to you in almost 20 years of being in this business, I've never had any problems. And then I had a stalker three months before we started shooting and it was really scary. He showed up at my house and thought he was my husband. He was mentally ill. I called the police. He came back three days later."

She continues, "It was so interesting. I thought, 'I am being prepared for this role without even asking'. I got frustrated with the legal system and the process that I had to go through. When I gave my report, it got on some blog, like, word for word. I thought, 'All the emotions that I'm going though is what Leah (my character) is about to go through'.

"I didn't even have to talk to victims because I was one. I'm never afraid. I've never had any issues at my house and I went through some real fear. You know, really scary moments. It's eerie but I really believe in synchronicity. I was like, 'OK. Thank you for the inspiration. But I'd rather use my imagination'."