Mary Elizabeth Winstead says it was "surreal" to see John Goodman play a "creepy" role in '10 Cloverfield Lane'.

Mary Elizabeth Winstead

Mary Elizabeth Winstead

In the psychological thriller, the 63-year-old actor plays Howard Stambler who holds Mary's character Michelle captive in an underground bunker.

And the 31-year-old actress admits it was weird seeing comic star John - who was a permanent fixture on TV from 1988 to 1997 in American sitcom 'Roseanne' - play a sinister role.

She said: "He's everything that you hoped he would be, as someone who grew up watching him in so many things. He is that lovable John Goodman that we all know. A legend, but in this role he gets to be somebody else entirely. So it was a bit surreal, getting to watch this actor, that I love so dearly, be intimidating and creepy. But he does it so well."

The film also has John Gallagher, Jr. as Emmett DeWitt, who shares the bunker with Michelle after he believes Howard's claim that there has been an alien attack or Russian military offensive against America.

The filming conditions were intense and Mary was relieved she got to work the two actors, were not just consummate professionals but also "easy going" on set.

She told website HeyUGuys: "If you're going to be stuck in a bunker with anybody, I think you would want John Goodman and John Gallagher, Jr ... they're such good people and very relaxed and easy going and I think in that environment, that's what you want, because it is so physically and emotionally draining. So I felt very lucky to work with people like that."

'10 Cloverfield Lane' - directed by Dan Trachtenberg and produced by J. J. Abrams - hits cinemas later this month.