Pivotal Dark Phoenix Scene Made Sophie Turner an Emotional Wreck

A significant turning point in Dark Phoenix left star Sophie Turner emotionally disturbed, the Jean Grey actress admitted to USA Today.

Opening up about her role as the telepathic X-Man possessed by an uncontrollable cosmic force, Turner said writer-director Simon Kinberg put her through the wringer as the latest entry in the long-running franchise centers around Jean's newfound power dividing the team of mutant freedom fighters.

"He would be like, 'All right, another intense climactic scene for the movie!' And it would be every single day," Turner said. "I was constantly draining myself emotionally, but it was so exciting for me because it's one of the first roles I've had where I didn't just stand in the background, able to hang out and make jokes and [mess] around on set. It really put me to the test and I loved it."

But the filming of one scene left Turner unable to sleep the night before, and the Game of Thrones star couldn't get into the proper headspace.

The scene — spoilers — sees Charles Xavier (James McAvoy) and his X-Men confront the corrupted Jean, who unleashes an emotional outburst that accidentally results in the death of Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence).

"It's the catalyst for everything that happens in the movie," said Turner, who added she was "hyperaware" of Lawrence's sendoff from the franchise.

"There was a lot of buzz around the scene, and I didn't take it lightly."

But because it was "such a kind of emotionally hyped-up scene," Turner said, "I was crying because I couldn't get it, and then the minute I started to feel that kind of frustration and that anger, I realized, 'This is what Jean is supposed to be feeling right now.' The fact that I couldn't get the scene right made me get the scene right."

Co-star Michael Fassbender, who plays ally-turned-enemy Magneto, was "really blown away" by Turner's maturity because the actress "has to go to some pretty extreme places emotionally."

Added Kinberg, "Everybody knows she's a great actress from Game of Thrones, but she definitely surprised all of us."

Adapting the major X-Men storyline — one already widely considered to have been botched the first time around in 2006's X-Men: The Last Stand — was a "daunting task," Turner admitted.

"I felt like, 'Well, I'm really going to [mess] this up because I have [freaking] Oscar winners and Oscar nominees all around me and they choose me to lead it? That girl from that TV show?'" Turner said. "To have them root for me was just the most special thing."

Dark Phoenix is now playing.