The young actress takes us behind-the-scenes of her breakout performance as Hit Girl

Hit Girl (Chloe Moretz) and Big Daddy (Nicolas Cage) were the lead characters in Mark Millar's original incarnation of the comic book Kick-Ass. Realizing that he needed a more centralized protagonist, he relegated the father-daughter crime-fighting duo to secondary status, allowing for Dave Lizewski (Aaron Johnson), aka Kick-Ass, to take center stage as our hero.

When Matthew Vaughn decided to adapt this written work of art for the screen, he had the keen knowledge to hire both Moretz and Cage for this second banana outfit, and they have since gone on to become the break out stars of the film, overshadowing everyone else around them. So its no wonder why Mark Millar and Matthew Vaughn will focus more on these characters when the inevitable sequel hits sometime in 2012.

Kick-Ass 2: Balls to the Wall may be a few years away from seeing a proper release, but this Tuesday marks the DVD and Blu-ray release of the original film. In honor of this iconic superhero classic hitting store shelves, we caught up with Hit Girl herself, Chloe Moretz, to reminisce about the film as well as all of her upcoming projects. Here is our conversation:

Now that even more people are seeing the film on DVD and Blu-ray, are you at all surprised by their response to your character? Even with the raw language and the violence, most people think Hit Girl is cute. Not offensive.

Chloe Moretz: What I have been saying is that you cannot judge this film by its cover. You really have to go in, sit down with a clear mind, and watch the film for what it is. If you really watch Kick-Ass, you'll see that it is an amazing, amazing film.

How did you personally feel when you first stepped on set, and you had to say some of this very colorful, to put it mildly, dialogue? Was it at all uncomfortable?

Chloe Moretz: Hit Girl is such an amazing character. I had such a fun time, and I loved being able to release all of my energy. I got to run around and do these crazy things on set. I truly got to have a lot of fun. It was a great time.

Have you talked to Mark Millar at all about your role in the upcoming Kick-Ass 2? He seems to have Hit Girl's story arc in place. What do you think about where this character is headed?

Chloe Moretz: I would love to do Kick-Ass 2: Balls to the Wall. Honestly, I can't say if it's happening or not. I don't know. The director of Kick-Ass is doing X-Men: First Class right now. After he finishes with that, I would love to portray Hit Girl in a different light.

What was it like working with Nicolas Cage? And were you sad that he didn't quite make it to that climatic end fight scene?

Chloe Moretz: Yes, definitely. Nicolas Cage is an amazing guy and a talented actor. It was great getting to work with him in this capacity. It was sad having to watch him die in the film. But that is a pretty great moment.

We also have Christopher Mintz-Plasse as the Red Mist. When you first read the script, were you surprised to see that he becomes the lead villain at the end? And what do you hope transpires between Red Mist and Hit Girl in the sequel?

Chloe Moretz: I love the idea of Christopher Mintz-Plasse going onto become the lead villain. I love the idea of me getting to fight him. I think that would be really, really amazing. But we can only wait and see what happens.

I want to know more about the weapons training. We see you playing with this butterfly knife, you're handling all kinds of various different guns. Were you playing? Or did you actually learn how to use a lot of this stuff?

Chloe Moretz: I got a lot of knowledge. I learned how to do various different types of fighting. And I learned how to take apart a gun. I can put it back together. It was neat. I know how to flip the balisong. Yeah, I really learned how to do everything in this film.

How do you think that will play into your future career as an actress? Are you hoping to take on more action oriented roles as you get older?

Chloe Moretz: I would love to do another action film. But I love choosing very diverse roles. I am not going to have every single film be an action film. But I would love to do another one.

Do you have an idea as far as what you'd like to see in an action film starring you? Especially since you are a little bit younger than most of our noted action heroes? You have a couple of dramas coming out and a thriller. Do you have a set path as to where you are headed?

Chloe Moretz: I would love to make acting my career for the rest of my life. I look at roles that interest me. I study the character, and try to figure out if its something I can do. If I can, I figure out how I will portray it. I look at every aspect. It's really about the script. Not the genre.

How do you feel you'll look at Kick-Ass ten or twenty years from now? And is it something you'd show your own kids when they're as old as Hit Girl?

Chloe Moretz: This is rated R for a reason. I strongly advise that kids don't see this film. There is some very strong language and violence in it. If you are of age, and you want to see the film, or your parents allow you to see the film? You know what? Its really up to who the person is, and if they can handle it or not.

As the film hits the home market, there are still a lot of people who haven't seen it yet. Do you have a reason why they should see it at this point?

Chloe Moretz: Because its an amazing film. Put aside all the controversy and go see it for what it is. It's a really great film with an amazing director and really great actors. Just put aside all the controversy and go watch it!

You are currently on the set of Hugo Cabret?

Chloe Moretz: I am. I am working on Hugo Cabret with the great director Martin Scorsese. I'm in London. And I play a character named Isabel. The story is about a boy who lives with his father. His father dies, and he ends up living in a Persian train station. He meets my character, Isabel, and we go on a crazy adventure together through Paris. And this huge gigantic train station.

This is the second film you've joined that has been based on previously existing material. Did you seek out Kick-Ass and Hugo Cabret because you were a fan before hand? Or was it just happenstance that you would take on two such iconic properties?

Chloe Moretz: I didn't know about the comic before I booked Kick-Ass. After I booked it, of course I read the comic, and I researched the role more. With my next film Let Me in, I knew there was another movie. I didn't see the other movie. I still haven't seen it. I've seen a few little parts of it. What I have seen has been very amazing. But I haven't been able to watch the whole thing. As far as Hugo Cabret? I knew there was a book out there, but I had not read the whole book. I plan to, though.

Does Martin Scorsese ever make you bust out the book on set and do some homework? Or is he simply happy with having you just read the script and bring what you are going to bring to it?

Chloe Moretz: We have taken a few parts of the book and put them into the movie. At the same time, we're doing our own aspect of it. I would say, though, that we're staying true to the book.

Two days ago, it was announced that you had joined The Rut. What was it about that script that appealed to you?

Chloe Moretz: The film is called The Rut. Karyn Kusama is directing it. It is a really amazing film. I can't say much about it. It's about a little girl who lives with her father. She goes soul searching. She gets stuck in the woods. The film is about her surviving in the woods until she gets found.

So it's a survival drama, a bit like Sean Penn's Into the Wild?

Chloe Moretz: Kind of. Yes.

What was it about this film that interested you more than taking a break? Because you are working a lot.

Chloe Moretz: I love working back to back. If I can do it, its what I want to do. I may take a few days off here and there. But I get really bored when I'm not working. I get really, really, bored.

So even after The Rut, you're not going to stop to catch your breath. You are just going to plow right through to the next thing?

Chloe Moretz: I want to keep making movies for the rest of my life. Its what I want to do. Its what I want to make my career. Yeah. If I can keep going, I would love it.

When we spoke with you at Comic-Con last week, you told us that you were interested in directing. Are you aiming to be the youngest feature film director in the history of the medium?

Chloe Moretz: What I would like is for my brother to direct it, my other brother to write it, my mother to produce it, and for me to star in it. That is truly my dream. Also, I would like to direct a movie soon. I am only thirteen right now. I definitely would like to get more experienced before I do that. But yeah, I am going to do it.

Do you and your family have a set script or story that you are focusing on for this huge collaboration?

Chloe Moretz: We have a lot of stories. And ideas, right now. At this stage, we are starting up our own production company. We are figuring it all out. We are really getting this going. It's only going to be a matter of time before we have our own film.

At this stage, you don't know anything about the storyline of Kick-Ass 2?

Chloe Moretz: I do know that there is a second series of the comic book coming out. Mark Millar has talked to me about that. And he did give me the idea for this second comic. Other than that, I don't know what is going to happen with the film yet. Maybe after Matthew Vaughn finishes X-Men: First Class we'll go to work on it.

Matthew has said that Hit Girl's role will be akin to Clint Eastwood's role in Unforgiven. Where she has retired her guns, and she is now living with a police officer. Have you already started to think about that character arc? Like Hit Girl, you've put this character away. Now you have to come back to the violence and the language...

Chloe Moretz: I am looking forward to portraying Hit Girl in a different light. I think this will be a really great aspect to her. I can't wait to actually come back to the character and get to do this.

Kick-Ass arrives in stores on DVD and Blu-ray this Tuesday, August 3rd, 2010.