The Green Mile star, 55, portrays a New York writer who takes up driving lessons from a Sikh instructor, played by Sir Ben Kingsley, and Clarkson admits she had to warn her co-star she was learning for real as they filmed the comedy drama in the Big Apple.

She explains, "I have become a New Yorker. I was born and raised in New Orleans; my father taught me to drive at 16... I drove all the time and then slowly - I've lived in New York 30 years - I've lost my ability, so I warned Sir Ben, I said, 'You know, a lot of times I'm gonna be driving, really driving, and really learning to drive!'"

The movie was a reunion of sorts - Clarkson and Kingsley previously co-starred in 2008 drama Elegy, which was also directed by Isabel Coixet.