Busy Chloe Grace Moretz on her star turn with Denzel Washington in "The Equalizer"

TORONTO - It's difficult to say whether 17-year-old Chloe Grace Moretz ("Kick-Ass") is as mature as she seems or if she's such an accomplished actress that she knows how to act mature, but sitting with Moretz at the new Four Seasons Hotel in Toronto - she's actually standing because her dress ripped - it's more like speaking with a peer than a teenager.

Moretz, who's been acting since she was 4, spoke with the Daily News at the Toronto International Film Festival about her role as a young Russian prostitute in "The Equalizer." She also had three other films playing the fest: "Laggies," "The Tale of Princess Kaguya" and "The Clouds of Sils Maria" - evidence of a whirlwind of filmmaking with no end in sight.

Q: Have you had any time off?

A: Last year my only real break was Christmas vacation, not much of one. I pretty much worked through my entire school year after filming "The Equalizer" in July of last year.

Q: How did your participation in the movie come about?

A: I auditioned for it. It was originally written for a 24-year-old, so I was really, really behind everyone. They were like, "No you're not going to be able to audition for it," but I was like "No, let me just get a meeting with Antoine and I promise I can do this." I know this role so well.

So I met with [director Antoine Fuqua] and we had a great relationship right off the bat, and then I came in to audition for him and Denzel Washington, and it went great - apparently - and I got a call about a week later from Antoine himself, which I really respected because usually it's to my people, and he said I just want to tell you that you're my Alina. It was awesome.

Q: Why did you feel you knew the role? Do you hang with Russian hookers?

A: (Laughs.) I felt a real connection to her because she kind of has this heart and this spark inside of her that no one can extinguish, and I thought I could really portray that and that I really wanted to go there for her. I would do everything to the umpteenth degree to be her and embody her.

I gained 10 [to] 15 pounds for the role so I could look in the mirror and not see Chloe. I wanted to see Alina and to feel her.

Q: What it was like working with Denzel?

A: It was amazing. He's probably one of the most formative actors in my career. I think Julianne Moore, Juliette Binoche and Denzel Washington would be three who have shaped me the most.

Q: What kind of goals do you have for your career?

A: Right now, acting-wise, I'm happy where I am, trying new movies, trying new projects, trying to figure out something that makes me excited every day.

On the other side of it, I'm getting into producing, with my brother and my mom. We're actually getting scripts and getting our name on a couple of things. That's exciting. And maybe getting involved with producing some TV shows with original ideas and stuff.

I'd really like to get into directing one day, maybe writing. I don't have a mind for writing yet - I'm a bit too adolescent for that because I can't keep my mind still enough to write a script. I'm a good writer, but I can't settle down and do it. It's hard.

Q: With all these trappings of fame around you, how do you stay grounded?

A: [Director] Kim Pierce asked me that question for "Carrie." "How in the world that you live in are you going to be able to embody a young girl who has nothing and nobody?" I simply answered, "I'm an actor and I act, and sometime part of acting is making up personal issues to draw from and make believe, because that's what we're doing."

This stuff - the Four Seasons for "The Equalizer" - is totally glitzy and awesome, but this morning I was in my big T-shirt and sweatpants trying to sleep the most amount of time I could. And at the end of the day, I'm just a 17-year-old kid trying to work hard.

Q: What's next?

A: I start my senior year of high school the day after tomorrow and fly back to Atlanta to start filming "The Fifth Wave."

Q: What about staying normal with social media? Do you tweet?

A: It's part of who you are now.

I kind of leave it to them. [She points toward her team in the next room.] They tell me what to do and what not to do on that front. With social media, I kind of just do it so my fans can see what my life is like and kind of see that I'm really just a normal 17-year-old kid.

Q: Do you find it easy to relate to teens your own age?

A: I've always been more attracted to people when they have a goal, whether that's an adult or a kid in high school gunning to go to an Ivy League university or be a major-league baseball player. People that have goals I really admire.

That's why I do get along well with a lot of my peers in this business. A lot of them have the same goals I do. It is hard to find kids who have a goal and have a personal life, and when you do, it's cool.

Q: Are you competitive with your peers?

A: We all know from our agents who's up for what. The way I've always looked at it is that I'm really competitive when I'm in the audition room with the director, doing my job. I will work as hard as I can to book the role if I really think I deserve it - that I'm the best person for the role. If I think that, I will fight gladiator style to the death. I'm not a competitive person in my personal life - I mean I'm competitive if I get into a batting cage - but when I'm with friends I don't talk about the business at all because I hate that.