Hailee Steinfeld: Schoolwork Helped Me Prep for Romeo & Juliet Role

Exclusive! Oscar-nominated up-and-comer dishes on tackling coveted role in new Shakespeare flick

True Grit's Hailee Steinfeld is about to take on one of the most iconic roles the acting world has to offer.

As you may have heard, the 15-year-old Oscar-nominee is set to play Juliet in yet another flick based on Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet.

So how does the up-and-comer feel about tackling such a coveted role?

Turns out she's both excited and a little nervous about the gig.

"I've never done Shakespeare before, so it's kind of different," Steinfeld told us at the Miu Miu Presents Lucrecia Martel's Muta party in Beverly Hills. "I've started to work on it and it's really amazing."

As for prepping the part, she explains, "The funny thing is, when I received the script I actually had to read the book at the same time in school, so that was perfect. I was able to go back and forth and I knew what I was talking about. Just kind of reading the material and really understanding it."

And what about getting to play opposite hottie English actor Douglas Booth, who's set to play her Romeo?

"I'm really excited for everything," she smiled innocently. "It's going to be a lot of fun."