Zazie Beetz said it was "very empowering" to take the lead role in They Will Kill You.

The 34-year-old actress plays Asia Reaves in the high-octane horror-action film, and the character also allowed Beetz to feel more confident as a woman.

She told People: "I think leading something is an incredibly empowering experience.

"This was my first time being No. 1 in a movie. [I] really went into it [and wanted the cast and crew] to feel like I wanted to be there and I wanted to show up and show that I am grateful for this moment and opportunity."

Being a strong leader helped Beetz feel empowered.

She said: "I felt very empowered with the idea of, like, 'I need to set my nerves or my feelings or my stuff aside in order to show up fully every day and just do the work.'

"And it's easy to be like, 'Meh! I'm having my feelings!' But I'm like, 'No, like, be a leader.' And so, it was a practice in that and a practice into coming more fully into my womanhood, to be honest.

"So I'm really grateful for that opportunity. I really feel like it grew my heart in that way."

Beetz said it was "just amazing" having people such as Patricia Arquette (Lilith) "on my side", and the latter praised Beetz on being a "great leader" on They Will Kill You - which comes out on March 27.

Arquette, 57, added that "the lead does set the tone", to which Beetz jumped in with: "Sets the tone, but … I don't know, you have a very strong energy. You have this calm, strong, quiet energy."

Arquette said: "I feel like you have that! I love that quality. I didn't really know I had it, too."

Beetz responded: "We're always learning, even, right? If you're the smartest in the room or whatever, you're in the wrong room."

Arquette said of leading a film: "It's so scary, and sometimes you're covering your own fear, you know?"

The Kirill Sokolov-directed movie sees Asia "survive the night at the Virgil, a demonic cult's mysterious and twisted death-trap of a lair, before becoming their next offering in a uniquely brazen, big screen battle of epic kills and wickedly dark humour".

And Beetz is "grateful" for Sokolov, 36, being enthusiastic during the filming process of the blood-soaked film.

She said: "That gave me so much energy. He loves this movie. He loves this role. He was so incredibly encouraging to me, to everyone."