When tasked with playing the role of a high-stakes thief, Emily Ratajkowski went to one woman for inspiration: herself. “I feel like the thief was inside me, like, it wasn’t that much of a stretch,” Ratajkowski said at last night’s New York premiere of her latest film, Lying & Stealing, where she plays a swindler named Elise (and all of Elise’s subsequent alter-egos) alongside Theo James. “She’s an aspiring actress, she’s someone who’s used to being written off or taken not seriously, and she’s obviously the best at conning everyone.”

The film’s title is self-explanatory: the two top-billing actors tango through one final heist in order to escape a life of crime. And while Ratajkowski’s character embodies multiple personalities (there’s a serious collection of wigs involved), she herself kept to a waist-hugging Narciso Rodriguez number and shiny updo for her red carpet look.

The actress may have made her way to bombshell status both on-screen and off, but her character’s independent spirit is what made the film a winner for Ratajkowski. “I think that the movie is cool because while it’s centered around Theo’s character, there’s really this element of partnership of two different people, two independent people wanting to find their way,” she said. “That’s what I like about Elise.”

Click through red carpet photos of co-stars Emily Ratajkowski and Theo James in the slideshow below.