Hailee Steinfeld brings heart to the 'Transformer' world in 'Bumblebee'

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- At 22, Hailee Steinfeld has already had some pretty big co-stars over her eight-year movie career, sharing the screen with names like Jeff Bridges and Harrison Ford.

But for her new film "Bumblebee," she has her "biggest" acting partner yet.

In the action thriller, Steinfeld plays a young woman who is going through a rough patch in her life. But when a family friend gives her a beat up old VW bug to fix up, her life changes in ways she would never have been able to imagine.

On this film shoot, Steinfeld had to deal with something very different: lots and lots of CGI.

"Initially, I thought it wasn't going to be that big of a deal. Then it wasn't until I was faced with a tennis ball on a stick on day 3 of 70 something! I was like OK this is gonna be a long one," said Steinfeld. "But I got used to it in the middle of it and I think with the help of our incredible director, I couldn't have done it without him."

Director Travis Knight says Steinfeld was his only choice for the lead role in this prequel to the "Transformers" franchise.

"She's so good. The fact she can carry a movie like this where she's in virtually every frame of the movie and give this emotional performance to thin air because the robot was never there," said Knight. "It really is extraordinary."

The fact that Steinfeld had to spend so much time acting with nothing made her really appreciate the time she did get to spend on set with her fellow actors.

"I was just always so happy, laughing, this is so great. And it's one of those moments, too, where it makes the day go by a little faster. You're like with people! You get to talk in between takes! It isn't something I always love but in this one I did."

"Bumblebee" is in theaters now.