Vanessa Kirby says that 'Napoleon' will explore the "psyche" of the French emperor.

The 35-year-old actress features opposite Joaquin Phoenix in Ridley Scott's historical epic as Napoleon's wife Josephine de Beauharnais and revealed how the movie will paint a picture of the historical figure's "strange" mentality.

Speaking to Empire magazine, Vanessa said: "Joaquin studies the psyche, and the psyche of Napoleon is so strange. The film feels like that. It's kind of peculiar, and there's an intensity in that."

The 'Mission: Impossible' actress continued: "Napoleon wasn't stoic and wonderful like Russell Crowe was in 'Gladiator'. He was a dictator, a war criminal, really.

"It couldn't be rousing, because that man killed hundreds and hundreds of thousands of men, in my opinion needlessly. And for what? To get an empire, for what?

"In the end, it all disintegrated anyway. That psyche run wild is dangerous as hell, and very strange. And this is a portrait of that."

Phoenix and Scott previously worked together on the acclaimed historical flick 'Gladiator' and the Oscar-winning star said it was a simple decision to team up with the filmmaker again.

The 'Joker' star said: "The truth is, there was just a very nostalgic idea of working with Ridley again.

"I had such an incredible experience working with Ridley on 'Gladiator', and I was so young. It was my first big production. I really yearned for that experience again, or something similar.

"He's approached me about other things in the past, but nothing that felt like it would be as demanding for both of us. And so I really liked the idea of jumping into something with Ridley that was going to be that."