If Brie Larson ever considered the manner in which she would move from Hollywood’s resident indie darling to mainstream movie star, she might not have imagined that such a leap could be executed in as stylish manner as she has managed over the past five years. Since her acclaimed under-the-radar turn in 2013’s Short Term 12 , Larson has put her name to a string of intriguing projects. From the small-time but hugely successful Room , for which she won an Academy Award in 2016, to the blockbuster Kong: Skull Island alongside silver-screen staples such as Samuel L Jackson and Tom Hiddleston. “Maybe I’m being naive, but I don’t feel any different,” says the fresh-faced 29-year-old. “I’m happy to be getting all these offers and having the chance to work with very talented people, but when I finish shooting a movie, I still lead the same life. Every morning I take the trash out, and every day I walk my dogs Bowie and Jonathan, and scoop up their droppings off the sidewalk.” This is probably the most dynamic character that I’ve ever played … I’ve had to go through every emotion possible with her Does Captain Marvel's Brie Larson earn more than other MCU superheroes? Relatable Larson may well thankfully remain, but her latest project is sure to catapult her into another stratosphere of stardom. Just as countless actors have followed in Robert Downey Jnr’s armour-clad footsteps since his debut as Iron Man in 2008, so too has Larson become the latest figure to join the sprawling Marvel Cinematic Universe as Carol Denvers, aka Captain Marvel. The film opens in Hong Kong on Wednesday March 6, and the United States on March 8. “I’m really proud of this movie and I hope that all the hype and anticipation will be worth it,” she beams. “This is probably the most dynamic character that I’ve ever played … I’ve had to go through every emotion possible with her. And a lot of this movie, although it has great comedy in it, there’s also real depth to it and emotion. That’s what I want: I want to see complicated female characters.” And with the memories of Gal Gadot’s groundbreaking leading appearance in the stand-alone Wonder Woman still fresh in comic-book fans’ minds, Larson is hoping Captain Marvel will tune into the current zeitgeist of strong women on-screen. “When the opportunity came to play Captain Marvel, this symbol of feminism, I saw it as an opportunity to play this empowering role for women,” she nods. “I saw this role and this film as an important step, and I wanted to be a part of it. Marvel Studios joins #10YearChallenge with original ‘The Avengers’ cast “I think Captain M arvel sends out a message that’s undeniably important to the world right now. And obviously Marvel is such an incredible platform to be able to share in storytelling and probably the biggest platform in terms of movies today.” Larson isn’t wrong. With a staggering US$5 billion-plus box-office haul for the Avengers films alone, not a year has gone by without the superhero ensemble delivering the goods – until 2019, that is, when the franchise heads for its finale with the hotly anticipated Endgam e , in which Larson’s Marvel will play a key role. But with such global recognition and the backing of the world’s biggest producers, does Larson’s leap into the realm of cinematic superheroism spell the end for her days as independent cinema’s brightest star? I think Captain Marvel sends out a message that’s undeniably important to the world right now Brie Larson “I don’t necessarily see it that way,” she says. “I have very specific reasons for doing films, and they don’t have to do with me or getting my face plastered on more objects. It’s about the material. And movies live on and can be places I can’t, and I want to be conscious about what it is that I’m presenting to the world, and what those representations of life are, and how they are being shared.” As usual, the Sacramento native can see both sides of the coin when it comes to her growing fame. “I think it’s kind of a typical thing – so much has changed and so much has stayed the same,” she explains. 5 reasons to love Jessica Henwick of Netflix and Marvel’s ‘Iron Fist’ “A lot of things about my public persona have changed, in that more people know what my face looks like, but all of the intimate details, like my private life, the friends I have, how I take my coffee – that’s all the same.” Larson’s down-to-earth persona is mirrored in her penchant for natural beauty and love of the great outdoors – aspects of her life that provide a necessary counterpoint to the glitz, glamour, and red carpets of the movie industry. “I like being very natural,” she agrees. “I try not to wear too much make-up because when I look at myself in the mirror sometimes I don’t recognise myself. I love raw, naked beauty and we should try to spend more time not trying to put on these perfect facades that women often feel forced to maintain. Her career zenith of late ensures her name is firmly included in the list of young, inspiring actresses – from Margot Robbie to Saoirse Ronan – who are due to take Hollywood forward into a brave new era of female-led filmmaking. But even with such a bright future ahead, and the prospect of another Oscar win a possibility given her acclaimed start in cinema, Larson is keen to keep in mind the less fortunate, but equally favourable, times. Marvel could become master of the cinematic universe if Disney land Fox assets “I was seven when our mother moved to Los Angeles with me and my little sister from Sacramento,” she reminisces. “The three of us lived in a small studio apartment that was only a little bigger than the room we used to shoot Room . The bed was the kind that you pull down out of the wall. “We had a tiny kitchen. I had two pairs of jeans, two T-shirts and a pair of tattered orange sneakers. We basically lived on noodles and vegetables at meal time. “Despite all of that, I never felt that I was missing something in my life; I remember those years as the best time of my life.” BRIE LARSON MILESTONES 2001 Makes her debut as Emily, the younger daughter of Bob Saget’s character in the sitcom Raising Dad 2005 Releases her album ‘Finally Out of P.E.’. One of her singles, She Said , was listed by Billboard in their weekly charts of the most-played videos in the channel, and reached No 31 on the Billboard Hot Singles 2012 Co-writes and co-films a short film, The Arm , which won a special jury prize at the Sundance Film Festival 2013 Gets her breakthrough role in independent drama Short Term 12 as Grace Howard, which she auditioned for via Skype 2015 Stars in the movie Room , which was shot inside a 10ft x 10ft shed created in a studio. Wins several awards, including the Academy Award for best actress, as well as a Golden Globe and a BAFTA 2017 Stars in Kong: Skull Island , which marked her first big-budget project 2018 Works together with 300 women in Hollywood to set up the ‘Time’s Up’ initiative to protect women from harassment and discrimination 2019 Larson will appear as Carol Danvers in the film Captain Marvel Video edited by Bridgette Hall Want more stories like this? Sign up here . Follow STYLE on Facebook , Instagram and Twitter