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Julianne Moore talks "What Maisie Knew" on NYC red carpet

Julianne Moore is playing against type in her new movie, "What Maisie Knew."

The four-time Oscar nominee plays Susanna, a self-involved rock star past her prime who winds up in a legal fight with her ex-husband (Steve Coogan) over the custody of their seven-year-old daughter, Maisie (Onata Aprile). The film is a modern-day adaptation of an 1897 Henry James novel and was helmed by directing partners Scott McGehee and David Siegel.

Moore made an appearance along with her co-stars at a special New York Cinema Society screening of their new film and spoke to CBSNews.com about why she chose this role:

CBSNEWS.COM: What was it that attracted you -- was it the Henry James aspect, or the directors...

MOORE: No, I wanted to play a rock star, honestly. I'd never done that. I'd never played a musician. For some reason, I'm always playing painters. People are always teaching me how to paint. And I thought, 'Ah, you know, this could be pretty interesting.' [Laughs]

CBSNEWS.COM: What sort of preparation does that entail?

MOORE: Well, our music supervisor was so amazing and worked with me closely...It was just looking at stuff mostly.

CBSNEWS.COM: What about your directors? Does it affect the experience at all having two directors as opposed to one?

MOORE: Well, believe it or not, I've actually worked with pairs of directors several times. I've worked with the Coen Brothers...The guys who directed "Crazy, Stupid, Love" have been a team for a long time. So it seems to be fairly common. And they've been together for about 20 years so they have their system down pat. So no, it's not unusual at all.

CBSNEWS.COM: Turning to your character's family, the young girl [Onata Aprile] who plays your daughter in the film...

MOORE: She is extraordinary. She's just lovely. She's so bright and present and curious and loving and trusting and really an extraordinary young actress. It was fun to work with her.

"What Maisie Knew" is now playing in select theaters.

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