It’s been a busy year for Laura Regan. The amazingly talented actress, whose previous roles included a recurring part on the award-winning series “Mad Men” as well as guest appearances on the shows “NCIS: Los Angeles” and “Bones”, is now taking on an even greater challenge in “Atlas Shrugged III: Who Is John Galt?”.

The film, the final installment of the epic Atlas Shrugged trilogy, is based on Ayn Rand’s 1957 novel about a dystopian society in the not so distant future.

With a nation’s economy approaching collapse, crime and fear begin to take over. An overreaching government strangles the country’s few remaining business leaders and amidst the chaos, society’s most productive members begin to mysteriously disappear.

Laura plays Dagny Taggart, an intellectual heroine who fights an increasingly authoritarian government. “Atlas Shrugged III: Who Is John Galt?” also stars Kristoffer Polaha and Peter Mackenzie and is set for theatrical release on September 12th.

I had the pleasure of speaking with Laura about the third installment of Atlas Shrugged, her career and more!

What were your first impressions of the Atlas Shrugged project?

I remember when it first came up, bells went off in my head. I knew that it was a big, iconic book and I was immediately intrigued and attracted to the character of Dagny. Not only is she a great literary heroine, but she’s also a strong woman with a strong inner compass. She’s secure in what she wants and what she believe is right. I found that very attractive to play. It was a role I could really sink my teeth into.

Did you have to do a lot of research to prepare for the role of Dagny?

Reading an almost 1200 page book is a lot of research on its own [laughs]. But I also talked to a lot of people who had experience with the book and how Ayn Rand’s philosophy might fit into it. From there, I set off on my own path and started thinking about who Dagny was to me — and then I gave her life.

How would you describe the story of “Who Is John Galt”?

I would describe it as a love story. The third part of the book is about the meeting of John and Dagny. They’re two very principled people who both have different ways of approaching the same problem. John’s approach is to withdrawal and to create his own type of community, whereas Dagny’s is not the same. She can’t step away from all of the work she’s put into her company and watch things crumble. It’s a meeting of how these two minds fall in love but won’t do anything about it until they’re both on the same page of this big moral issue.

How real-to-life are some of the events in this film?

What’s going on in today’s world is very frightening and I think that explains the attraction and lasting power of the book and why it’s so relevant today. There’s definitely some “science fiction” elements, but the impulse is there for people who want more control over their own lives and more power to decide on its direction.

Is there a message viewers can take away from the movie?

I can’t speak for the creators but for me, I would want people to know that they should never give up their opinion on something just because of the status quo. Don’t go with what the masses say just because you might be afraid to buck the trend. If it’s something that you really believe in, then go with it!

Did you always know that you wanted to become an actress?

It took me a while to realize that. My first love was actually ballet. I had an injury in my program that eventually led to my exit, but it wasn’t until my second year in University that I started getting more and more into drama.

Was there something in particular that gave you the acting ‘bug’?

I would say it came from taking an English Literature class and getting a chance to read all of the great classics, like Shakespeare. I remember just falling in love with it and thinking “Ok, reading this is great – but let’s do more!” It just took off from there. Each experience I had became more thrilling and before long, I was completely hooked.

What are some of the differences between doing a feature film as opposed to a guest appearance on television?

Feature films present a different kind of challenge, because you really get to see your character’s journey all the way through. With television you still have to be just as prepared, but your character’s journey may not be the journey of the show. TV is more of a narrow approach, whereas a film has a wide ranging draw.

Is there a bit of advice you can offer aspiring actors and actresses?

Never think that you know everything about your craft, because there’s always something more you can learn to enrich yourself. Maybe you’ll go to a workshop or maybe you’ll get together with other actors for a play. Whatever it is, you’ll always get something out of the experience that will enhance your next audition or role. Never stop learning.

Follow Laura Regan on Twitter @TheLauraRegan