I basically developed the character from my imagination. I had classical training but I don't consider myself an opera singer though, and this is more a hybrid of pop and classical music. You sang at The Metropolitan Opera earlier in your career so that must have stood you in good stead. I'm Andrew.' But when I did get the part we talked closely together and I realised that he's just very shy.

Okay, that must be my cue.' So I nodded to the accompanist and I sang a couple of songs from the show and afterwards he stood up and said, 'Hi. I was vocalising with the accompanist and he just walked into the room and sat down in front of me and said, 'Shall we?' He didn't introduce himself or anything and I just thought, 'Oh. You know it was funny - there were no pleasantries. Was your meeting with Andrew Lloyd Webber as intimidating as the screen test? But a week later I got to sing for Andrew Lloyd Webber and I got it! Parts like these in big Hollywood movies are not given to girls my age - I was 16 when I auditioned - and there were girls who were much more famous who auditioned for it. Actually I didn't think I would get it just because it was too big. I was pretty shaken with nerves but I did the best I could. It was unheard of for me to do a screen-test like this, with full costume and makeup - with two hours just to do the hair extensions - and a piano, a full cast and crew, and a sweeping camera with Joel Schumacher in the corner yelling, 'Action!'

I had never seen Phantom on Broadway so he sent me the script and asked me for my take on it, then he flew me to New York for a screen test. I walked off the soggy set of The Day After Tomorrow and ended up in Joel Schumacher's living room for a meeting. In Joel Schumacher's adaptation of The Phantom Of The Opera she returns to her musical roots to play the tale's leading lady, opera-singer Christine. She broke on to the Hollywood scene very recently playing Sean Penn's daughter in Mystic River, then featuring opposite Jake Gyllenhaal in effects-laden disaster movie The Day After Tomorrow. Emmy Rossum began her career at seven years old in the children's chorus at the Metropolitan Opera in New York before making a name for herself in television.

Emmy rossum phantom of the opera kiss