Jessica Chastain will make a great mum some day, her Take Shelter co-star Michael Shannon has said.

The US actor plays a paranoid man experiencing apocalyptic visions in the drama, with Jessica starring as his wife and mother to their young daughter, played by Tova Stewart.

Michael said of Jessica: "She has a big, big heart. She's so compassionate and I think that's what makes her work so powerful. Working with her and in things I have seen her in, she always brings so much love and sensitivity to what she does.

"And she really pays attention to other people, she's not consumed by herself or her own situation, she's always looking out for other people. Especially with kids, she's always so sweet with them.

"On Take Shelter she was always keeping an eye on Tova who plays our daughter. I think not only is she a great actress, I think she'll be a great mother some day."

Speaking at Take Shelter's premiere at the BFI London Film Festival, Michael predicted that the fears his character experiences would resonate with cinema-goers.

"The world is a tragic place, it always has been, and when you have a family and people in your life that you love and want to protect that leads to anxiety," he added.

"So as much as I think it's relevant to today, I also hope it's timeless. A very primal kind of story."