Chloë Grace Moretz on new movie Greta

Shooting her latest film Greta, Chloë Grace Moretz recalled how one “really terrifying” scene triggered a real reaction that was captured by the cameras.

Chloë Grace Moretz’s latest film Greta has its fair share of unsettling moments.

But the scares weren’t just experienced by the audience watching the new thriller — it also spooked its star.

Speaking to news.com.au, Moretz described a scene where her character is forced into a box as “really terrifying,” triggering a real reaction from her that was captured by the cameras.

During those scenes, Moretz wasn’t so much acting as “genuinely fearing for my life, but in circumstances that were fully taken care of”.

“I am actually claustrophobic, I didn’t have anyone forcing me into the box, but I had to get in to the box obviously and it was nothing short of a nightmare,” Moretz said.

“But having (co-star) Isabelle Huppert there and (director) Neil Jordan they were both so wonderful and kind and careful in that scene with me, and really took time to make me feel comfortable enough and it helped immensely.”

Chloe Grace Moretz in a scene from the movie Greta. Picture: Universal Pictures.

In Greta, Moretz plays Frances, a young woman who has recently moved to New York City and is struggling with the grief of losing her mother.

She strikes up an unlikely friendship with Greta (Huppert) after returning a handbag to her and bonding with the older woman.

But things turn sinister when Frances discovers Greta has been leaving handbags all over the city — and won’t take no for an answer when the young woman tries to end their friendship.

It’s then that Greta begins stalking Frances, an element of the story Moretz says was fascinating to film.

“It was definitely an interesting thing to depict, the stalking element, because it’s spooky and creepy,” she said.

Isabelle Huppert stars as Greta. Picture: Jonathan Hession / Focus Features

“But I think the big thing I wanted to really hold through with in the story was how stalking (was) more sad than even scary, being that this was a real beautiful relationship that was growing.

“And to have someone turn on you and turn out to be nothing of what you thought they were, (is) absolutely terrifying and also heartbreaking.”

Also drawing Moretz to the film was Greta’s ability to subvert the classic thriller trope of the older man stalking a younger woman, turning the genre on its head.

“It was a multitude of things — I think it was majorly the ability to take a genre that I love and a story that I love and be able to subvert it, and take the Anthony Hopkins character and have it be Isabelle Huppert, and take the boyfriend role and have it be Maika Monroe who is my best friend,” she said.

Director Neil Jordan and Chloë Grace Moretz. Picture: Charles Sykes/Invision/AP

“I think that opportunity to subvert and also still give it to a wider audience was something that I really couldn’t pass.”

Moretz stars alongside Huppert, a legend of French cinema who she describes as an “absolute dream” to work with, especially while filming Greta’s darker moments.

“I always think it’s important on movies like this to try and find the levity in every second that you can,” Moretz said.

“She and I definitely tried to find the levity in our moments and keep it lighthearted in all the darkness that we were portraying.”

Greta is now showing in cinemas nationally.