Emily Beecham is in a very philosophical mood. Running a hand through her russet locks, she gazes contemplatively out of the window onto the bustling London streets below. Who knows whats going to happen in the future? she says. Humans might need to adapt to be able to absorb carbon dioxide like plants. That could be useful, with the oxygen becoming scarce... but lets not think about that!

It is her new film, the neon-bathed, anxiety-spiking thriller Little Joe, that has prompted this existential malaise. In the movie, Beecham plays Alice, a renegade botanist who forgoes the necessary safety checks to genetically engineer the worlds first mood-boosting antidepressant plant, a sample of which she smuggles home to her teenage son Joe. Starting out as a wholly commendable scientific breakthrough, the flower gradually appears to turn against its creator, confining those who inhale its head-spinning pollen to a deadened state of seeming happiness. There is a gnawing question at the centre of Little Joe: are these characters genuinely euphoric or just emotional suppressed? To its credit, the film eludes the Manichaeism of conventional storytelling and allows viewers to draw their own conclusions on the matter.

Courtesy of Festival de Cannes

It really makes you think for yourself, Beecham agrees. We had some very unexpected questions when we first screened it. Theres a scientific explanation, a psychological explanation and then theres also the idea that its all a load of nonsense and absolutely nothing is going on at all. My character is down this rabbit hole of not knowing what she believes. The movie premiered in competition at last years Cannes Film Festival, where its slippery grasp of medical ethics divided critical opinion; the actress, for her part, enjoyed her time on the Croisette. Id never been to Cannes before. It was very opulent, very glamorous and really fun.

She had already returned to the UK when she was summoned back to France to stand in contention for the festivals Best Actress prize (resulting in a rip-roaring journey that involved her zooming across the Cte dAzur by motorbike just in time for the ceremony). Beecham, visibly stunned, went on to clinch the trophy for her subtle work, a deliberately contrived, quasi-mechanical performance that soon descends into fully fledged paranoia her red-rimmed eyes darting about suspiciously over her surgical mask. Leaving with the award was a shock to say the least, she admits now. I just really wasnt expecting that. We celebrated with lots of food and drink, and a little dance. It was amazing, obviously, but completely overwhelming.

Toni Anne Barson

Equally overwhelming, I imagine, is answering big-picture questions on her puzzlingly unclassifiable film. Heres another one for her: how much freedom should scientists have when it comes to modifying living organisms? She exhales deeply, staring into the middle distance to really ponder before answering. I know there are strict regulations placed on it now after the French microbiologist Emmanuelle Charpentier who was an inspiration for my character in the film actually invented a revolutionary gene-editing tool that enables you to quickly genetically engineer something, she explains. Since then, and quite understandably, rules have been tight so that it doesnt get into the wrong hands. Genetic engineering is amazing for medicine, I hear, with its ability to help scientists try to cure diseases.

I pivot to another cornerstone of Little Joe: the open-ended, endlessly interpretable topic that is the meaning of happiness. Happiness is subjective, Beecham says firmly. Some people think material wealth or career success or relationships equal happiness. The Buddhists ideal is just to be. On a personal level, I feel happy if Im working with people who inspire me. I also like listening to music, seeing a friend, reading a book, watching a film... nothing that unusual really. I do love finding weird little treasures in vintage stores. She pauses, bright-eyed before adding: As long as I dont become a hoarder!

The superficially cheerful laboratory over which Alice presides in Little Joe unsurprisingly skews male, with Ben Whishaw featuring as a lower-ranking plant breeder. Meanwhile, the movies crew, led by the visionary director Jessica Hausner, was much more gender-balanced. Jessica is a really good leader who always follows her vision, says Beecham. There was a lot of respect and focus on set. She knew when to say, No, that isn't the film I want to make, this is the film I want to make. Everything was very choreographed: the timings, the camera movements, picking up props... She persists until we get the right take, which I really admire because that can be difficult.

Although mostly emanating authority, Beechams character, by contrast, is subject to micro-aggressions at the office, with men around her condescendingly remarking This has all been a bit much for you when she highlights her plants potential danger. Alice is very senior in her workplace in a very male-dominated environment, says Beecham. She is the boss and she has the most successful plant so she calls all the shots. There is subtle begrudgement about that and a bit of power play between her and Chris [Whishaw]. Perhaps women have to work harder to gain that dominance or respect.

Beecham is set to wade even further into the depths of scientific ethics with her upcoming Netflix project Outside the Wire, which explores the use of artificial intelligence in warfare (Its just a coincidence really!), but perhaps her most anticipated new film is Cruella. Due in cinemas next year, this is the live-action prequel to Disneys classic 101 Dalmatians in which Emma Stone plays the puppy-snatching, sartorially spotted villain. Fascinatingly, Craig Gillespie has been brought on to direct something of a left-field choice given that the film-maker is best known for zany indies in which Margot Robbie kneecaps a skating rival (I, Tonya) and Ryan Gosling falls in love with a sex doll (Lars and the Real Girl).

Its an edgy Disney story, Beecham reveals. Cruella is an anarchic girl with a rebellious streak, so Craig brought out that menacing fun, coupled with a certain vivacity and a real London feel. There was a naturalness to the shoot. It was this massive production and he would have us improvising lines, writing new scripts it was very fresh and authentic. Its going to be a really fun and interesting film. The movies costumes are fantastical, Vivienne Westwood-inspired creations whose outlandishness did prove challenging for the actress co-star. Emma [Stone]s costume was very elaborate. She was slightly paralysed in it because she couldnt really move her head, Beecham says, laughing. She had to lie down an awful lot between takes because she literally couldnt move. Until we see Cruellas origin story, prepare to be moved by Beechams faultlessly modulated turn in Little Joe, a masterclass of quietly unravelling containment.

Little Joe is released in cinemas on Friday.

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Meet Emily Beecham: the actress set to dominate 2020 - harpersbazaar.com