At 14, an age when most teens are contemplating homework, Britt Robertson made the life-changing decision to move 2,400 miles away from her South Carolina home to pursue an acting career in LA. Ten years down the line, having proved her acting chops with a slew of television roles (namely the Spielberg-co-produced series, Under the Dome) and films such as Cake, alongside Jennifer Aniston, the 24-year-old is about to hit the big time, starring opposite George Clooney in the Disney sci-fi Tomorrowland A World Beyond.

ELLE: Child actors get a bad rap, you seem very grounded.
Britt Robertson: When I first moved to LA, I stayed at Oakwood Toluca Hills, this famous community for child actors where Hilary Duff and Frankie Muniz [Malcolm In The Middle] also lived. It was all so exciting, but it also meant that I grew up quite quickly and developed a rebellious side. You learn to settle down though and just appreciate being young. I just matured really early.

ELLE: If you could have any superpower, what would it be?
BR: To know what I want at any given moment. I have this theory that if you know exactly what you want in life, then it’s much easier to go out and get it.

ELLE: Tell us a secret.
BR: I’m afraid of butterflies. When I was a kid I used to think they were flying spiders. I'm deathly afraid of all bugs.

ELLE: What was it like working with George Clooney?
BR: Awesome. He gave me lots of good advice: make the most out of every opportunity. Don’t let one movie define your career. Get out there and make movies of your own. Become the actor you want to be.

ELLE: What do your siblings think of what you do? [Britt is the eldest of seven children]
BR: They’re proud and happy for me, but what they enjoy most is when I tell them about the crazy things I’ve been through, or the meltdowns I’ve had; they get a kick out of things like that, the more glamorous stuff is not very exciting to them.

ELLE: Do you get recognised on the street?
BR: There have been a few times where I’m out getting fast food and people will come up to me and ask me if I’m an actor, but it doesn’t happen a lot. I look different in real life than I do on-screen; I don’t wear any make-up and I’m in sweatpants a lot.

Tomorrowland A World Beyond is out 22 May

Photo credit: Meredith Jenks