Rosamund Pike is happy playing "No. 2".

Rosamund Pike

Rosamund Pike

The 37-year-old actress - who shot to fame as psychopath Amy Dunne opposite Ben Affleck's Nick Dunne in 'Gone Girl' - admitted she has no qualms playing second fiddle to a man on set.

Asked if taking on the lead role of Amy - who had just as much screen time as Ben in 'Gone Girl' - was a rare moment in her career, she said: "Ben was still No. 1 on the callsheet. The guy's usually No. 1... but maybe I'm quite comfortable being No. 2. I quite like that place. I don't know that I'm that easy with being No 1.

"Note to self: go home and read scripts where female character is the lead."

And Rosamund acknowledged she's been reluctant to step into the limelight because of the pressure of "carrying" the movie.

She mused: "I suppose you feel there's somewhere to go. It's an interesting question...

"You're carrying the movie when you're No 1. and I don't know that I'm ready for that yet. I should be."

The British star received plaudits for her recent role playing Ruth Williams in the biographical drama 'A United Kingdom' and is currently looking for an actor to cast in a supporting role in her next as-yet-untitled movie.

And Pike thinks Christian Bale would be perfect role the title.

She told The Guardian newspaper: "You have to approach the right man at the right time, because men don't want to play second fiddle to a woman. That's the truth. It's sad, isn't it?

"Christian [Bale] might be different - he's a leading man who quite wants to be a supporting actor, and is quite unusual in that respect."