Sarah Drew praises Ed Harris for defending her during first film role

Sarah Drew has revealed how Ed Harris offered her invaluable support after an unnamed co-star left her feeling embarrassed during the filming of the 2003 sports drama Radio.

Speaking during Entertainment Weekly's Bold School panel at San Diego Comic-Con, the 45-year-old actress reflected on her first experience working on a film set and praised Harris for encouraging her at a pivotal moment early in her career.

Drew, who played Mary Helen in Radio, admitted she entered the project with a theatre background and approached rehearsals with the same intensity she had learned on stage.

"I had only done theatre before. I'd never been on a film set before," she recalled.

While rehearsing an emotional scene, Drew said an unnamed co-star told her she was putting too much emotion into rehearsals and warned her not to "blow yourself out" before the cameras started rolling.

The comment left the actress questioning whether she was approaching film acting the wrong way.

"They made me feel a little stupid, if I'm being honest," Drew said. "I thought, 'I guess this isn't the way things go in the world of film.'"

However, Harris soon stepped in with advice that Drew says has stayed with her throughout her career.

According to the actress, the Oscar-nominated star quietly reassured her, dismissing the criticism before telling her that actors should always give their full commitment to their scene partners, even when the camera is focused elsewhere.

Harris told her that some of his best work happened off camera and insisted that failing to give "110 percent" to a fellow actor meant not fully doing the job.

Drew said those words became a guiding principle, adding that she has carried Harris' advice with her on every project she has worked on since.

Radio, released in 2003, was inspired by Gary Smith's Sports Illustrated article Someone to Lean On and starred Harris as Coach Jones alongside Cuba Gooding Jr.