Francesca Eastwood thanks Emma Roberts for 'chance' acting career

Clint Eastwood's daughter Francesca Eastwood has pal Emma Roberts to thank for her acting career after initially deciding she didn't want to follow her parents into the business.

The former model made her debut alongside her folks - Eastwood and Frances Fisher - in 1999 movie True Crimes, but the acting bug didn't bite and instead the 22-year-old turned to modeling and then started studying business at the University of Southern California.

But a chance encounter with Roberts turned into a huge opportunity and now, as Francesca prepares to launch her first big role in horror western Outlaws & Angels, she's really enjoying the family business.

"I tried very hard to convince myself I wanted to do something different, kinda out of left field," she tells WWD.com, "and my friend Emma Roberts saw me in a short film and introduced me to her manager. It was like a happy accident."

The former Miss Golden Globe has also landed a role in David Lynch's much-anticipated Twin Peaks series and is filming the thriller The Vault, but she's glad Sundance Film Festival hit Outlaws & Angels was her first major film.

"With this project, I've really fallen in love with what I'm doing, and I'm really happy with my job."

However, Clint's daughter admits the new western wasn't a glamorous shoot, adding, "It was the dirtiest thing. There was no make-up except for dirt and sweat, and lots of it. It was actually really gross; there were bugs crawling on us. But it was awesome."

Outlaws & Angels, which also features Luke Wilson, Teri Polo, and Chad Michael Murray, hits theaters, iTunes and video on demand on Friday (15Jul16).