For the first time in her career, Hailee Steinfeld is portraying a multiracial character whose identity reflects her real-life background. She stars in Ryan Coogler’s new film Sinners, opposite Michael B. Jordan and Wunmi Mosaku.

In Sinners, Steinfeld’s character is written as having a half-Black grandfather, which is true for the actress in real life. It is a detail that marks a notable shift from her previous roles, which were white or assumed to be white. Steinfeld, who is of mixed heritage herself, including Black American and Filipino descent on her mother’s side, has rarely seen that complexity reflected in the characters she plays — until now.

Hailee Steinfeld’s ‘Sinners’ character mirrors her real-life heritage

She portrays Mary in the film, a character who has a complicated history with the twins Smoke and Stack (Jordan). She got candid about what this role meant to her in a recent interview with Blavity’s Shadow and Act.

“It sparked a lot of questions for me,” she said. “The research for the job is always the best part, right? One of the best parts. And a lot of times you’re learning about something that you may know a little about or nothing about, and you make discoveries about yourself through those things, but it’s not about you, right? It’s about something that you’re learning, something else. And with this, it was my family. The research was my family and my family history. And ‘the best part of the job’ didn’t feel like part of the job. It felt like these amazing conversations that…it’s easy to say [that], I wish happened sooner, but I’m so grateful that they’re happening now.”

Hailee Steinfeld says ‘Sinners’ role made her imagine what her grandfather’s life would have been like

She also brought up how some family members attended the premiere with her on Thursday night, and how even further conversations will be sparked.

“After seeing the movie last night with just some family, it’s like the conversations about this movie are so important, but it brought me so much closer to my mom and to my grandfather. [With this role], my imagination ran wild with thoughts of what his life might’ve looked like growing up, what his parents’ life might’ve looked like. I’m just so honored to be a part of this story and of this world that, while it’s wild, and exciting, and fun, and there’s jump scares that’ll really get you, and the music is incredible– it’s so important. And this served me in a way that I didn’t know I needed so bad.”

Sinners is in theaters on April 18. Watch the full interview with Coogler, Jordan, Steinfeld and more, above.