Kaya Scodelario, 21, made her mark on British TV and film with Skins and Wuthering Heights – now she's taking on America.

To celebrate her starring role in the US indie flick Emanuel And The Truth About Fishes, she’ll be hitting the Sundance London red carpet this Friday.

‘My family and my boyfriend [Shameless star Elliott Tittensor] are coming to watch it for the first time,' Kaya tells ELLE. 'It’s nerve wracking because acting is almost like a therapy session, you expose yourself emotionally. But I’m proud of this film.'

The psychological thriller sees Kaya’s character Emanuel becoming obsessed with another woman (Jessica Biel).

The pair bonded during filming. ‘Jessie really made me feel looked after in LA, on my own, working away from home.’

We’re sure that meeting Jessica’s husband, some guy called Justin Timberlake, must have helped too.

‘I’ve only just managed to calm down. He’s a really nice guy.’

Kaya’s own boyfriend, Elliott, visits her frequently on set and he’ll be popping out to visit her in LA on the set of her upcoming sci-fi film, The Maze Runner. ‘It’s completely different: an action packed film with lots of CGI and huge monsters.’

She’s also been rubbing shoulders with the Hollywood crowd off-duty at Coachella, sporting her typically relaxed look of boho top and cut-off shorts.

For the Emanuel red carpet, she’s planning on wearing 'a beautiful dress.'

So when she does hit London, what could be the best compliment her family could pay her?

‘That my American accent was all right.’

Emanuel And The Truth About Fishes has its UK premiere at the Sundance London Festival at The O2 on Friday 26 April, and will also screen on 27 and 28 April.

Go behind the scenes on ELLE’s fashion shoot with Kaya Scodelario