She’s living the teenage dream. Emma Nelson, 17, is a rising actress who plays Emily Malcolm in The Unforgivable, which you probably already know since the film sat on Netflix’s Top 10 list for a week last month. The story follows an ex-convict (Sandra Bullock) and the challenges she faces while attempting to re-enter society. You might also recognize Emma from her role in Where’d You Go, Bernadette, where she starred opposite Cate Blanchett.

Here, the Chicago native tells us how working with big actors makes her a better one, how she balances school and Hollywood, and why anxiety can sometimes stem from not fulfilling your life purpose.

What made you want to be part of The Unforgivable?
When I read the script, I found the story really compelling, because it’s not one that’s always told. I don’t think a lot of people empathize with ex-cons, so it’s a really interesting take on the ambiguity of, “What does justice mean for the people involved in this crime?” What also drew me to it was my relationship with [character] Katie, who is my sister in the film, because I have an older sister in real life and this story creates a really intimate and beautiful portrayal of sisterhood.

Do you ever get nervous while filming?
I struggle with anxiety, but it’s at a very low level when I’m on set because I’m doing what I know I was meant to do. I get anxiety when I feel like there’s a different reason why I’m here and I’m not fulfilling that. So I feel very calm and purposeful on set, but I definitely had more nerves when I was doing stuff onstage. It might sound cliché, but mindfulness helped me a lot, because I was aware of how my body felt when it was getting worked up and could focus all that nervous energy into my role instead of internalizing it.

What was it like working with Sandra Bullock?
It goes without saying that she’s incredible, and working with great actors really does make you a better one. I mean, she’s completely iconic. If you had told me before I got this role that I could work with anybody right now, it would be her. She just has this magnetic presence. And since I always had a natural connection with her, I never had to work more than I should in a scene.

Have you ever wished your characters were real?
In a sense, it feels like they are real. When you watch them, they kind of come to life. But yeah, when there’s an iconic character you get invested in, you miss thinking about that person, because it feels like you get to know them as you play them.

Is it hard to balance acting and school?
It’s kind of impossible. It’s so difficult to devote time to schoolwork when you’re on set. When I was filming, I was talking to some of the older actors and telling them how I didn’t want to go back to my trailer to do schoolwork because I just wanted to stay present. They were like, “Sometimes I can’t even write an email in my trailer, so I don’t know how you do that.” So I’m looking forward to graduating and not having to worry about both at the same time.

What advice would you give young girls who aspire to be actresses?
There’s space for everybody. A lot of times, young girls think, “Well, there’s already a hundred people like me or that are better than me,” so don’t let the fear of being “like everyone else” hold you back. That’s something I would’ve told [my younger] self—to just embrace who I am and not be afraid that someone can replicate what I do.