'Channing was born to play Jeffrey Manchester’

Stars Channing Tatum, Kirsten Dunst and director Derek Cianfrance on bringing a true story to life with their new movie Roofman, in cinemas now

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n the late Eighties, the American toy store chain Toys “R” Us was a paradise for young children-a haven for play, imagination and escape.

But when he gets the idea to break out of prison in June 2004-under a truck which made regular visits to a prison loading dock-and succeeds, Manchester hides in a Toys “R” Us store undetected until he falls for an employee and divorced mum Leigh, played by 43-year-old American actress Kirsten Dunst.

"I was a big fan of Derek's for a long time," Dunst says.

"And I love his process with actors, the way he loves actors so much. He really fights for performances and wants the most real essence of a scene, and isn't worried about words so much. He wants things to feel like they're alive. And I like that kind of acting, as well; I wanted to be a part of that."

"I didn't even know it was a true story when I read it. It just felt like the kind of movie I really wanted to see, something they don't really make anymore - about real people," the Spider-Man star adds.

And though Dunst did talk with Cianfrance about the real Leigh and watched a video of her, she admits that it didn't really affect her performance.

"She's not a known person, where the audience knows exactly how she talks or looks. I did my own version of the character. But what remains of her is the deep love she had for Jeffrey."

For Cianfrance, one of the most challenging and exciting aspects of the filmmaking process was bringing the Toys "R" Us store to life.

It was where Manchester lived and where most of the filming would take place, so he wanted the entire set to be functional.