Jena Malone is opening up about her working relationship with director Zack Snyder, and while film fans may be divided in their opinions about the controversial director, the Golden Globe nominee isn't. In an exclusive interview with MovieWeb, Malone says she enjoys working with the Rebel Moon director, because she trusts his vision. She also says her roles in his films have made her the "coolest mom in the world."

Malone's career features a variety of roles that some actors only dream of. From comedy to horror, big-budget blockbusters to low-budget indie dramas, she's done a little of everything. For all that diversity, however, she has worked with Snyder on four different projects, because he gives her roles she has never done before. That includes playing Harmada, a grotesque spider-like alien in 2023's Rebel Moon - Part One: A Child of Fire. She told MovieWeb:

"All Zack's ever gifted me is the ability to be the coolest mom in the world. Like, he literally is constantly giving me 'cool points' with my son."

Malone first worked with Snyder on 2011's Sucker Punch, playing the rebellious but good-hearted Rocket in a fantasy adventure with an outstanding female cast. Snyder's confidence in her to pull off the role laid the foundation to their continued collaboration:

"I had to audition for it, with Sucker Punch . It was like, no one had previously been like, 'Oh, you're a bad-a**, kick-a** kind of character.' But he saw that in me, you know, and it's such a gift to be able to see how the director sees something in you that you can't see in yourself, you know? And I feel like that's always been my relationship and working with Zack is that I just trust that he sees something that I may not see, and that I know it's gonna be even cooler than I could ever imagine."

From Sucker Punch & Rebel Moon to Kevin Costner's Western Epic, Horizon

While Jena Malone has collaborated frequently with Snyder, he isn't the only artist with whom she shares a good working relationship. She has worked with Jodie Foster on both Contact and The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys, and her role in Horizon was due to her history of working with Kevin Costner. She appeared with him in 2012's History Channel event miniseries Hatfields & McCoys, as well as 1999's For Love of the Game. In Horizon, she plays Ellen, a wife and mother turned vigilante, in a film set against the backdrop of America's Old West.

The 39-year-old Nevada native is perhaps best known for her role as wild, axe-swinging Johanna Mason in The Hunger Games films, as well as the cult classic Donnie Darko. Her other notable roles include Snyder's Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice Ultimate Edition, The Neon Demon, Into the Wild, and Bastard Out of Carolina. Her next project is with Zack Snyder once again, voicing the character of Zeta in the Netflix animated series Army of the Dead: Lost Vegas.

Horizon is currently playing in theaters. Rebel Moon is streaming on Netflix. You can check out the trailer for Horizon: An American Saga below .