On the surface, it seems that Mary Elizabeth Winstead has the best job of the entire cast in Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter.

Not only did the 27-year-old US actress get to don several gorgeous frilly, 19th-century style frocks in the upcoming action-horror film, she hardly needed to flex her muscles - a stark contrast to the strenuous physical demands piled onto her co-stars Ben Walker, Erin Wasson, Rufus Sewell and Dominic Cooper.

But Winstead, who is best known for her performances in Quentin Tarantino's cult hit, Death Proof (2007), graphic novel-adaptation Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World (2010) and last year's sci-fi flick The Thing, is far from pleased about the "relative ease" she enjoyed in her role as Abraham Lincoln's wife, Mary Todd Lincoln.

"I'm actually very jealous," said the North Carolina native with a laugh, during a round table interview with reporters at The Ritz-Carlton Central Park.

"When I first signed on to do this movie, I was happy to take a break from action, as I had just finished Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World, for which I did three months of martial arts training.

"Then, one day, I saw people doing stunts on set and I was like, 'Oh man, I wish I could be one of them!'

"I remember I had a particular scene with Erin (Wasson) where she did a flip backwards...Right then, I was trying to stand up in my seat, because I wanted to do that too."

In Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, which opens here next Thursday, Winstead's sole action moment comes towards the end, where Mary Todd Lincoln bravely picks up a gun to aid hubby Lincoln (Walker) in the raging civil war battle.

Don't be fooled by her demure demeanour, however.

Till today, Winstead looks back at her Scott Pilgrim boot camp with fondness.

"I loved it so much that I thought I'd be good at (fighting) even after the movie wrapped," said Winstead, a trained ballerina.

"But you know, life went on and I got busy."

Nevertheless, the tips she picked up - on how to punch and land blows on others - have stayed with her since. Winstead said she even managed to raise a few eyebrows during a recent shoot.

"I'm in this new movie where I have a small kick-boxing scene," she said.

"After I made my moves, everyone was visibly surprised...Some asked me, 'how did you know how to do that?'"

While she doesn't hide her ambitions to be an action lass, she's not losing any sleep over missing out on superhero mega-hit The Avengers.

Winstead was on the shortlist for the role of Agent Maria Hill, which eventually went to Canadian actress Cobie Smulders.

"It was a matter of timing," she explained.

"At that time (during casting of The Avengers), I was more excited to find something small, which I felt would be the right type of project for me.

"So I did (indie flick) Smashed and it went to the Sundance Film Festival and got really good reviews."

There is a sense of groundedness about Winstead, partly because she has been married for a couple of years now.

Her husband is director and television scriptwriter Riley Stearns, whom she started dating when she was 18.

Although the couple live in bustling Los Angeles, their residential neighbourhood is a "niche, low-key" community and Winstead stressed that their lives "do not always revolve around the showbiz industry".

So, with Hollywood relationships famous for being fickle and short-lived, what's her secret to maintaining her marriage?

"My husband and I have always been best friends and we just love hanging out," she said, adding that starting a family is certainly in the pipeline.

"I guess what keeps our romance alive is our busy schedule...Both of us travel a lot for work and as a result, we don't get sick of each other so easily.

"We're always looking forward to coming home and seeing the other party!"