There’s a fair chance you’ve seen Talulah Riley on screen before. She cut a striking presence in Joe Wright’s Pride and Prejudice and the two St. Trinian’s movies before dipping her toes in films across the pond, with Inception and Thor: The Dark World among them.

Today her debut film as a writer and director is released. Scottish Mussel premiered at Edinburgh this year and gets its wide release today and so what better time to sit down and talk about how it happened.

She talks about how it took four years to get the film made, getting producers Neol Clarke and Jason Maza on board as well as her plans to direct again, and what she learned from her time in Hollywood. Her debut novel is discussed as is her latest part in HBO’s Westworld series.

Here’s a synopsis for you to get acquainted with,

Ritchie is a Glaswegian chancer with low hopes and no prospects. Disillusioned with city life, he goes undercover at a Highland conservation centre to make his fortune as an illegal pearl fisher with the help of his two hapless and accident prone mates, Danny and Fraser.

Here he meets Beth, a pretty English conservationist passionate about saving endangered mussels from the clutches of pearl thieves in the Scottish Highlands. Falling for her instantly, Ritchie must beat off competition in the form of Highland Ranger Ethan, a smooth talking American Adonis convinced that Beth can’t resist his charms forever.

After the success of pearl fishing attracts the unwanted attentions of old school Glaswegian mobster Gavin and his work at the centre leads him to question his true motivations, Ritchie must risk life and limb to save the Highlands from ecological disaster and win Beth’s heart.

Scott Davis was our man on the ground, here’s his interview.