Meeting Mia Threapleton in a Cannes hotel room feels strangely familiar. The London-born actor’s firm handshake, voice, and face all remind me of someone—though we’ve never met before. The reason soon becomes clear: she’s the mirror image of her mother, Oscar winner Kate Winslet, inheriting that same warm, no-nonsense British charm that’s become Winslet’s trademark in Hollywood.

Dressed in a floor-length black Alexander McQueen corset dress with peep-toe mules, dark red nails, and bold jewelry from her earlier press appearance, Threapleton looks every bit the rising star making her Cannes debut. Yet she couldn’t be less pretentious, perched on the edge of an armchair sipping still water (“Bubbles might expand in this outfit,” she jokes).

At just 24, with only a few roles to her name—including I Am Ruth alongside her mother and a brief part in Scoop—she’s now achieving something even Winslet hasn’t: leading a major Wes Anderson film. In The Phoenician Scheme, Anderson’s latest whimsical adventure, she plays Liesl, a 1950s nun whose life unravels when her estranged father (Benicio Del Toro), a powerful businessman, names her his successor. What follows is a chaotic journey across deserts and jungles, dodging assassins while unraveling family secrets.

Threapleton’s Liesl is sharper than Anderson’s past heroines—witty, ruthless, and openly hostile toward her father. Despite sharing scenes with heavyweights like Del Toro, Tom Hanks, and Scarlett Johansson, she steals the show with impeccable comedic timing.

When The Phoenician Scheme releases on May 30, her life will undoubtedly change. Before then, she reflects on crying during Cannes’ standing ovation, unintentionally channeling her mother on the red carpet, and Winslet’s succinct festival advice.

Vogue: You seemed emotional during the ovation—what were you feeling?
Mia Threapleton: I was proud I’d held it together… until the camera zoomed in. I saw myself onscreen and thought, Oh no, they’re clapping for me—now I’m done for. [Laughs.] It was overwhelming. Michael Cera, sweetly, patted my back and said, “Let it out.” But I resisted—I didn’t want to cry!Thank God for waterproof mascara!

You’ve described Liesl as being like an onion. What layers were you most interested in exploring?

There’s so much to her—she’s incredibly complex. She hasn’t seen her father in six years and has so many unanswered questions about her mother’s death, which happened when she was very young. She was essentially an orphan sent to a convent, and she probably thought, My dad just isn’t that interested in me. Then, suddenly, she gets the chance to confront him. Over the course of the film, she goes on this journey of self-discovery.

This was a huge role to land—Wes saw hundreds of auditions. How did you feel when you got the part?

I was on a train when I found out, surrounded by people. I’d spent the whole day refreshing my emails, terrified. When I got the call, I just sat on the floor and cried, then called everyone I knew. Since I was 13, this is what I’ve wanted—this specifically. Last week, I was going through old boxes at home and found my journals. One entry literally said: “Watching Moonrise Kingdom again, bloody love this film. Would love to work with Wes Anderson one day.” I’d completely forgotten I’d written that.

What was the most challenging part of working on Wes’s set?

Honestly, the whole experience was unlike anything else. On his sets, there’s no division between cast and crew—no trailers, no monitors everywhere. He’s not hierarchical at all; we were all in it together. That made everything feel stable, even as a newcomer. I was terrified on day one, going over every line in my head, but Wes literally guided me by the shoulders. I felt so welcomed, and I really miss that camaraderie now. I’m 24, I’ve never done this before—never done Cannes before. I’m usually in ripped jeans and old T-shirts with sweat stains [laughs]. I’m learning every day.

What’s been your most surreal Cannes moment so far?

Everything about the premiere night. The big, red, scary stairs! All I could think was, Don’t trip, don’t trip… while walking up in that huge skirt. And, Please, no one step on it. Then we took the group photo on the red carpet and went inside—the room felt like it was vibrating. My heart was pounding so loud I couldn’t hear anything. I also realized I couldn’t sit down in my corseted dress, so I had to fold myself in half just to perch.

We all had dinner afterward. I’d changed out of the green dress and ditched my heels because I couldn’t take them anymore. There was a little balcony where we were, so I stepped outside. It was so quiet—just stars and the sound of frogs—and I could see everyone inside, laughing together. It was the first moment I had to myself to take it all in. Then I had another little cry.

Tell me more about that green Oscar de la Renta gown. People have been saying it’s a nod to your mum’s 1998 Givenchy by Alexander McQueen Oscars dress—the year she was nominated for Titanic.

It’s so funny because I had no idea she’d worn that dress. It wasn’t intentional at all. As soon as the film wrapped, I thought, If this goes to a red carpet, I have to wear green—that color is just…Liesl’s signature look includes green stockings and green eyeshadow. I loved this stunning Oscar de la Renta dress—it made me so happy—but I had no idea she’d worn something similar. Someone mentioned it to me the next morning, and I thought it was hilarious.

Threapleton, 24, at the Cannes premiere of The Phoenician Scheme.
Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images

A 22-year-old Kate Winslet at the 1998 Oscars.
Jim Smeal/Getty Images

And you’re wearing McQueen today too.
I’ve always loved McQueen for as long as I can remember. I must have been about 11 when I saw Savage Beauty, and I became completely obsessed.

Your mum was also very young—just 20—when she first came to Cannes. Did she give you any advice for your first time here?
She said, “Try not to be sick out of your nose. Just breathe!” I’ve been so busy here that I haven’t really spoken to her at all.

Winslet, aged 20, at the 1996 Cannes Film Festival.
Photo: Getty Images

Threapleton at the photo call for The Phoenician Scheme.
Photo: Getty Images

Has she, or the rest of your family, seen the film yet?
No one close to me has seen it yet, but I can’t wait for them to. That’s another reason why the premiere felt so big—suddenly, I realized, Oh wow, everyone’s going to watch this. The cat’s out of the bag now. And it’s coming to cinemas so soon. I keep seeing the posters everywhere, and I just want to disappear. I don’t really know what to do.

How are you coping with this moment? It’s going to be pretty life-changing.
I don’t know—in my mind, I haven’t really processed it yet. My normal life is just dog walks and being in the countryside.

Is that what you’ll be doing after all the promotional stuff?
Exactly. I just really want to go on a long walk and camp somewhere.

Before that, do you have more Cannes promo to do today?
No, I just need to get out of this dress and go get a croissant!

The Phoenician Scheme is in theaters from May 30.