Gemma Arterton’s going right into the lion’s den in her West End theatre debut.

She’s part of an ensemble of four actors starring in The Little Dog Laughed, a hilarious satire on the hypocrisy of Hollywood.

Having appeared as a Bond girl in Quantum Of Solace and with two blockbusters (Clash Of The Titans and Prince Of Persia) out next year, the timing is fortuitous.

She also has two smaller movies heading for the big screen.

The Disappearance Of Alice Creed is a scorching kidnap drama her agents tried to warn her off because there was no money and some nudity.

‘I told them I was doing it,’ she laughed. And it’s good she did, because it provides her best screen performance to date.

She’s also done Tamara Drewe, with director Stephen Frears.

But back to the Little Dog.

‘There were many reasons for doing this play, but one of them was: “Oh, I’ve just done these Hollywood movies — and now I can do a play about some aspects of Hollywood and some of the things I’ve seen!”’ Gemma told me. What things?!

A raised eyebrow and a giggle from her suggest something juicy, but she’s not telling.

Gemma’s fellow cast members are Tamsin Greig, Rupert Friend and Harry Lloyd. ‘Tamsin’s been like: “Really! Is it really like that over there?”’ Gemma told me.

But she admits her insight is limited. I saw her at the Bafta Los Angeles Tea Party last January.

‘It was the only time I’ve been out to LA and it was to get an American agent and I haven’t been back since.

‘It’s a strange place, isn’t it? I couldn’t see myself living there. I’m happy living in England — why would I want to be there? For work, maybe. But I’d be back pretty quickly.’

She’s funny about the transatlantic differences, especially of language and nuance. ‘I made so many errors in being so English.

My humour’s dry. I’d say something and have to translate — otherwise, they were taking it literally.’

That’s why director Jamie Lloyd, who is in the second week of rehearsing The Little Dog Laughed, has spent time helping his English cast get their heads around playing Americans. ‘We really had to shake our Britishness in doing this play,’ Gemma agreed.

The play, which begins previewing at the Garrick Theatre on January 8, a few days before Gemma’s 24th birthday, is about Mitchell (Friend), a fast-rising movie star who has what someone describes as ‘a slight recurring case of homosexuality’.

Diane (Greig), his viperish agent, insists he can’t come out of the closet — and he certainly has to stay there once he falls for Alex (Lloyd), a rent boy.

Gemma’s character Ellen is Alex’s girlfriend, who is a mass of contradictions. ‘She’s vulnerable, she wants a baby and she wants to be loved — and at the same time she has a cutting humour,’ said Gemma.

‘She’s also hungry for fame, and for me that’s so ironic because I’ve had a taste of it [fame] and decided I don’t want it. I would rather do a play in England, thank you very much.’

At one point she and the cast were sitting with the show’s playwright, Douglas Carter Beane, and he asked them to name a successful and famous actor who’s happy.

‘He said he couldn’t think of any — and no one else could, either. I thought: “I don’t want that to be me!”’ Gemma is contracted to do more Prince Of Persia and Clash Of The Titans films if needs be, but she also knows how to get away and be with friends.

And her parents (her dad’s a welder and mum’s a cleaner) have ensured her feet are kept on the ground. ‘I think it’s such a massive thing in our culture now, where people just aspire to be famous and not reach for pure happiness,’ she told me.

‘I’ve been there — a little bit! — and I’ve opted to be happy.’

In the play, Gemma’s and Rupert’s characters opt for something that won’t make them happy. She sees it as a cautionary tale.

She also explained how Michael Caine, her idol, taught her not to take what she does too seriously. After she gave him a lifetime award at the British Independent Film Awards, he was asked about his art.

‘Michael said: “What I do isn’t art. That Picasso on the wall of my kitchen is art.” He’s from a working-class background like me and I love how realistic he is about what he does.’

I think Gemma Arterton’s just getting ready to show us what she really does — and I think she’s going to be doing it a long time, just like Michael Caine.

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