Los Angeles, Mar 14 (IANS): Actress Eva Green had fun learning the nitty-gritty to ace the role of aerial artist Colette Marchant for her film "Dumbo". She is now an aerialist for real.

"I had to train for four or five months to build a bit of muscle, because you have to be very strong as an aerialist. Your arms have to be quite strong, and you need strong abs as well. It's like dancing in the air," Green said in a statement.

"You try to find the right posture and the right gestures. I had the most amazing teachers: real circus people. That really helped me to get into the circus mood. Now I am an aerialist for real," she added.

Disney's live-action "Dumbo" is directed by Tim Burton and loosely inspired by the 1941 animated film. It stars Danny DeVito as the owner of a struggling circus. He enlists former star Holt Farrier (Colin Farrell) and his children Milly (Nico Parker) and Joe (Finley Hobbins) to care for a newborn elephant whose oversized ears make him a laughing stock. The film will release in India on March 29.

Why do you think the original "Dumbo" movie is still so loved?

"I grew up with the animated version and I loved the story. The story between the baby elephant and the mother really marked me as a child. It's such a powerful, universal story, which both children and adults can connect with."

She says the new version is "full of magic, full of poetry, and is very rich, moving, funny and spectacular".