Rebel Wilson: Comedy was accidental

Rebel Wilson channelled Dame Judi Dench when she first started at acting school.

The Pitch Perfect actress landed a one-off Nicole Kidman acting scholarship to New York when she was 17. Despite being known now for her comic timing, the 29-year-old initially aspired to be a thought-provoking thespian.

"I really wanted to be hardcore serious. I was Dame Judi Dench in my head," she told the British edition of Elle. "But I did a play that was serious and people laughed. The more serious I tried to be, the funnier it was and I thought, 'I must have a knack'. So I chose comedy for the scholarship."

With a clear direction for her career the Australian star started to get film roles, and first came to audiences' attention fully in 2011's Bridesmaids. Although her part was small, she knew it would lead to more opportunities.

"I had four little scenes, but I knew it was enough for people to say 'she's got something' even though the whole cast is so funny and so amazing," she added.

Now she is set to return in one of her most popular roles as Fat Amy in Pitch Perfect 2. Rebel is thrilled to reunite with the cast, which includes Anna Kendrick and Elizabeth Banks as it's such a female-dominated production.

"How I see it is, I do two types of job: dream jobs like female-driven comedies, and the other job, which is basically the boys' club," she explained. "I have done three big movies with men - these are talented, strong-minded males, but you have to find a way to work that system. I love being funny so I improv the role, work with the limited parameters and opportunities, and maximise them."