Jessica Chastain tried to steer clear of the "male template" while making her new spy movie '355'.

Jessica Chastain

Jessica Chastain

The 41-year-old actress features alongside the likes of Lupita Nyong'o, Marion Cotillard, Penelope Cruz and Bingbing Fan in the new thriller, and Jessica has revealed she was eager to avoid following the template laid out by film franchises like James Bond.

Looking forward to her new movie, she told the Daily Mail newspaper: "I'm not interested in a female James Bond, or a female anything.

"I want an action film about women, starring female actors. The intention isn't to take the male template and put women in it."

Jessica approached screenwriter Theresa Rebeck about the project, and the actress is thrilled with what they're creating.

The Hollywood star also thinks '355' sends out a strong message to fans.

She explained: "We women are a powerful force. We can handle ourselves very well."

Meanwhile, Jessica previously admitted she hopes '355' will help bring an end to the "confines of stereotypical traits".

The flame-haired star revealed she was excited by the prospect of breaking boundaries with her new action film.

She said: "The action genre has long been dominated by male heroes, and it's so exciting to be part of a film that will allow for not just one female action hero but a whole ensemble of very capable, fierce female characters that reject tired stereotypes.

"Characters that liberate from the confines of stereotypical traits. That is something that excited me about this, the opportunity to create different types of female heroes."