Oscar-nominated actress Virginia Madsen had a starring role in Nicola Peltz Beckham’s 2024 directorial debut Lola, and the actress has now praised the budding star, telling HELLO! that it was Nicola who encouraged Virginia to take on the role after she initially declined.

The film follows the titular Lola, a drug addict and exotic dancer, who hopes to save enough money to get her little brother out of their toxic home. Nicola, 31, wrote and produced the film, and Virginia stars as Lola’s narcissistic, religious-fanatic mom Mona, who abuses her younger son.

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It was a role that Virginia was hesitant to accept, sharing that although the “script was wonderful,” she didn’t feel that she had it in play as an abusive mother.

“I really hated playing that role, but [Nicola] was both strong and gentle with me and let me know that it was all going to be OK,” Virginia tells HELLO!

“I said, ‘I can’t play this abusive mother, I don’t have that in me,’ but in talking with [Nicola], somehow she knew [what I needed],” Virginia continues. “I really felt like there would be a protective environment for the young actors – that’s what I was most concerned about. There’s just something about her, there’s an inner strength.”

Virginia also praised Nicola’s ability to navigate the world of independent filmmaking, sharing that she would love to work with Nicola again.

“She’s so good, and I want her to direct again. I don’t know why she’s not doing more,” says Virginia.

“She was terrific – and she also wrote it and produced it. She did all the legwork. It’s not easy to get an independent film made and to work under that kind of budget.”

The film premiered in February 2024, with Virginia joining Nicola on the red carpet, along with Nicola’s husband, Brooklyn Beckham , and their now estranged family, including David and Victoria Beckham.

A representative for Brooklyn and Nicola recently dismissed any hope of reconciliation for the family, and told HELLO! that they believe a recent visit by Brooklyn’s sister Harper to their Los Angeles home was a staged photo opportunity.

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Virginia, who appeared in the horror film Candyman (1992) and the 2004 Oscar-winning movie Sideways, spoke to HELLO! at the 2026 Race to Erase MS Gala, where she also spoke about the upcoming anniversary of her brother Michael’s passing.

A longtime Quentin Tarantino collaborator, Michael passed away on July 3, 2025.

“Anybody who experiences grief on this level… it’s different every day, but the family tries to be together and support one another. I’m so proud of his sons and my mom,” Virginia said. “We all really rally around my mom, and that’s the most important thing in all of it.”

Michael was found at his Malibu home on July 3 with his cause of death confirmed to be heart failure, with heart disease and alcoholism both contributing factors.