Natalie Dormer describes new BBC series Picnic at Hanging Rock as mais "sci-fi" than costume drama 

We’ve updated our Privacy Notice. Take a moment to review it here.

8 ways GRRM has suggested Game of Thrones could...

Arrow\'s Stephen Amell shuts down season 7 fan...

Rylan invades Loose Women studio after getting...

Natalie Dormer wants gender to be "irrelevant" in TV Natalie Dormer wants gender to be "irrelevant" in TV

First look at Game of Thrones star\'s Hanging Rock show First look at Game of Thrones star\'s Hanging Rock show

Game of Thrones season 8: Everything you need to know Game of Thrones season 8: Everything you need to know

GoT\'s Dormer admits she was \'pissed\' at one thing in s7 GoT\'s Dormer admits she was \'pissed\' at one thing in s7

Matt Smith\'s Patient Zero could go straight to DVD Matt Smith\'s Patient Zero could go straight to DVD

Natalie Dormer reveals all on her new BBC series Natalie Dormer reveals all on her new BBC series

England vs Sweden World Cup game scores 19.9m peak England vs Sweden World Cup game scores 19.9m peak

Arrow star shares behind-the-scenes pic from season 7 Arrow star shares behind-the-scenes pic from season 7

Sunday Brunch apologises for a swear word no-one heard Sunday Brunch apologises for a swear word no-one heard

Marr delights viewers with Southgate-inspired waistcoat Marr delights viewers with Southgate-inspired waistcoat

Where are the cast of Smallville now? Where are the cast of Smallville now?

Keith Lemon says he was "bamboozled" by Piers Morgan Keith Lemon says he was "bamboozled" by Piers Morgan

11 brilliantly bleak TV shows you can\'t stop watching 11 brilliantly bleak TV shows you can\'t stop watching

movie franchise. But the actress is the lead in the BBC\'s new series

, which is an adaptation of Australian writer Joan Lindsay\'s 1967 mystery novel of the same name –and it seems as though she was everybody\'s first choice to play the part.

"The reason I took the role is that [the show\'s director] Larysa Kondracki wrote to me and said, \'I need an actress who can be terrifying but also bring vulnerability. I think you can do that,\'" Natalie told

Dormer plays a rather nasty headmistress called Hester Appleyard, who has fled to Australia to start a new life for herself. However, things begin to go awry when some of the schoolgirls go missing, and Hester\'s past begins to catch up with her.

"She\'s run away from a past life and constructed herself as something else. But when a massive tragedy, like the girls\' disappearance happens, you realise how flimsy that is," said Dormer.

She continued: "Hester certainly becomes destabilised – and that\'s fun to play, someone losing their mind. That\'s Hamlet, that\'s Blanche DuBois – that\'s a gift as an actor."

However, even though this new BBC series, which is going to air on BBC2, will be set in the past, Dormer was adamant that it shouldn\'t be thought of as a costume drama. The actress feels it shares more with the sci-fi genre.

"It\'s not a costume drama – it\'s helpful to think of it more in sci-fi terms. Just because there\'s horses and corsets, it\'s actually got a more psychedelic, non-linear tone to it."

was shot in and around Melbourne in Australia, but Dormer didn\'t see this as an excuse to have a nice time filming Down Under.

Dormer was actually a huge fan of the novel before being offered the role – she\'d read it twice already. And she saw this as an opportunity to showcase the high-quality television that Austalia is capable of producing.

"One of the reasons I wanted to do the job is that it\'s Australia\'s first punt at saying, \'We can make prestige drama to a high-production value too,\'" Dormer explained.

"It\'s the first time I\'ve been to Australia, so for me there was no acting required – to see the Australian landscape for the first time and to be hit between the eyes by that… It is incredibly powerful and majestic. It\'s epic."

Season one has already aired in parts of the world and garnered some positive buzz reviews. However, will there be a second series even though it was intended to be a one-off? Nobody, including Dormer herself, is ruling out the possibility of doing a second one.

. They intended it to be a one-off, but then, by demand, [it did come back], so you never say never. Who knows? I\'d go back to Australia, though. Of course I would!"

The six-part series airs this Wednesday (July 11) on BBC2, at 9.05pm.

Want up-to-the-minute entertainment news and features? Just hit \'Like\' on our Digital Spy Facebook page and \'Follow\' on our @digitalspy Instagram and Twitter account.

Andrew Marr delights viewers by wearing England manager Gareth Southgate\'s trademark waistcoat

England\'s World Cup win against Sweden scores a massive audience share and a 19.9 million peak

Natalie Dormer wants gender to be "irrelevant" in...

First look at Game of Thrones star\'s Hanging Rock...

Game of Thrones season 8: Everything you need to...

Matt Smith\'s Patient Zero could go straight to DVD

Margot Robbie wants diverse cast for DC\'s Birds...

EastEnders\' Max faces huge panic and more Sunday...

Solo surpasses The Empire Strikes Back\'s box...

England vs Sweden World Cup game scores 19.9m peak

Arrow star shares behind-the-scenes pic from season 7

Sunday Brunch apologises for a swear word no-one heard

Marr delights viewers with Southgate-inspired waistcoat

Christopher Biggins predicts Ant will miss I\'m A Celeb

Robin Wright \'led the charge to save House of Cards\'

WWE\'s Triple H reveals rivalry between US and UK talent

Game of Thrones\' Natalie Dormer is headmistress from hell in Amazon\'s Picnic at Hanging Rock teaser

First-look at Michelle Keegan in Our Girl series 3, as BBC One\'s hit drama returns for 12 new episodes

BBC Three\'s online drama Thirteen: First look at the new series starring Doctor Foster\'s Jodie Comer

Here\'s your first look at BBC One\'s new drama The Split, as Anthony Head and Chanel Cresswell join the cast

Irish soap Red Rock finds a UK home as BBC Daytime picks up the acclaimed drama

Made in Chelsea stirs up more drama than ever as the build-up to Liv\'s birthday party causes tensions