To bring to life one of literature's most beloved characters -- Mary Lennox, the young protagonist of author Frances Hodgson Burnett's The Secret Garden -- you need to find an equally special star. And Dixie Egerickx is very much her, as evident in this featurette exclusively debuting on ET.

"Mary's a very determined character. She won't take no for an answer," says the 14-year-old newcomer (who also appears in this year's Summerland).

The timeless tale -- which has been adapted numerous times before, including with actress Kate Maberly playing the role in the 1993 version -- sees the young orphan Mary sent to live with her uncle (played here by Colin Firth) in England, only to discover the estate's long-forgotten but still just as magical garden.

"I was looking for children who were sophisticated," director Marc Munden explains, with co-star Julie Walters saying, "Dixie is extraordinary. We're very lucky that we found somebody so great."

The Secret Garden is available on demand on Aug. 7. Watch the featurette above.

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