NOT everyone gets a chance to interview a leading Hollywood actress – let alone to do so before their ninth birthday.

But that’s exactly what eight-year-old Summer Gillies was able to tick off the bucket list recently, when she sat down for a chat with Academy Award nominee Rosamund Pike.

The pair discussed Rosamund’s latest movie, in which she plays Marie Curie in the lead role, before discussing Summer’s hopes of one day becoming a scientist herself, helping people like her sister, Bella, who recently recovered from a cancerous tumour on her hand.

The interview came about after Summer’s mum, Anji, had responded to an advert offering a lucky youngster the chance to interview a famous face.

They only found out that famous face would be Rosamund Pike days before the interview, allowing Summer to prep a few questions.

“I just left her to it and let her ask her questions and she did very well with it,” said Anji.

“She was very natural, not at all flustered. She did run around screaming afterwards though, she was very excited after!”

After Summer quizzed Rosamund about her latest film, Radioactive, the two got talking about the Kimpton, Thruxton and Fyfield pupil’s own aspirations in science.

“I want to fix cancer so no one else ends up with a tumour like my sister did,” said Summer, “because she used to go to the NHS about her tumour on her hand.”

The pair also discussed Marie Curie and her legacy, as Summer asked about the difficulties she may have faced being a female scientist at the turn of the last century.

Rosamund replied: “Do you know what Summer, I think for whatever reason, historical and social, it’s still hard for women to be scientists.

“I think the difficult she faced was prejudice and she was surrounded by a lot of men who thought their way was better. But that really never bothered Marie Curie because she knew she was better than some people.”

Summer responded: “Well, if it was only men that could do things now then basically the world wouldn’t be good because it doesn’t really matter who you are, male or female, you can do anything you want if you put your mind to it.”

Anji says she’s “super proud” of Summer and that as well as her interest in science, she’s now hoping to do some more interviews as a side project.

“Eight is still very young but it was a bit bizarre to see her having a chat like a grown up," said Anji, "and she probably handled it better than a lot of grown-ups would to be honest.”

The mother-of-two continued: “She’s decided that’s what so wants to do going forward, to go into science, and in the meantime she would love to do some more interviews as well. It’s given her something to be excited about.”

To see the interview for yourself search for ‘Rosamund Pike surprises 8-year-old girl’ on Facebook.