This "Haywire" star could "break you in half"

(CBS) Oscar-winning director Steven Soderbergh is no stranger to the action genre, with hits such as the Ocean's Eleven series and the crime caper "Out of Sight" under his belt. The filmmaker is now getting rave reviews for his new spy thriller, "Haywire," featuring an ensemble cast of veteran actors including Ewan McGregor, Michael Douglas, Antonio Banderas and Michael Fassbender. But it's Soderbergh's new leading lady, Gina Carano (a famous Muay Thai boxing champion) who is garnering attention.

"[Carano] could break you in half. She could break me in half," Soderbergh told CBSNews.com at a recent special screening of "Haywire" in New York.

"I mean when I look at her in the film, it's hard to believe that she's never been in a film before. She just puts everyone at ease," he added.

Soderbergh decided to go ahead with this somewhat unusual casting choice after watching Carano compete in a Muay Thai competition on CBS. Upon seeing her, the director knew she was instantly right for the role of a spy bent on revenge against the men who betrayed her.

"He's making so many people afraid of me. I'm still a lady," the relatively new actress told us on the red carpet. Carano also described the process of starring in her first major Hollywood feature as a nerve-racking experience. "I was very like, 'What am I doing here?' But then [the other actors on set] made me feel comfortable and were real with me."

Her co-star, Ewan McGregor, told us that Carano was a natural at acting. "She was very, very good...she didn't need any advice from me."

"Haywire" is now playing in theaters nationwide. Watch our interviews with Soderbergh, McGregor, and Carano at the top of this story.