Gemma Arterton: Theatre made me better actress

Gemma Arterton feels like a better actress now she's "flexed her muscles" on the stage.

The 29-year-old actress has been appearing in a production of Made in Dagenham in London, UK, about women who went on strike in the 60s because they wanted equal pay.

Gemma has also appeared in big budget flicks like James Bond movie Quantum of Solace and thinks her skills are only getting better as she diversifies.

"I think that doing theatre does [make you a better actress] because you're constantly flexing those muscles in front of a live audience every night and you have to adapt and you have to be on the ball all the time. I definitely think doing theatre makes you a better actor, but there are loads of actors who never do theatre... and they're not good," she joked on BBC Radio 1.

Her time on stage will be coming to a close before long and then Gemma will go back to shooting films. Although she's a film pro it's still a daunting process as she's now so used to working at a completely different pace.

"I've been doing theatre for so long now and I'm doing a film pretty much straight afterwards and it's going to be so weird for me. Obviously you're filming all day and sometimes two scenes a day whereas I'm used to doing a whole part in two hours. It's different," she explained.

Having starred in the Bond franchise and other major movies like Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, Gemma is now going in a new direction. That involves parts in indie films with smaller budgets, and she is proud to have made that transition.

"I have to say at the moment I'm feeling what I'm doing now which is more like interesting roles in smaller things. Even though doing those big old things, they're fun for the experience, but I'm enjoying what I'm doing now, it's much more gratifying," she said.