(Cover) - EN Showbiz - Olivia Wilde is glad she can tell people that "James Bond" taught her how to shoot a gun.

The 27-year-old actress plays Ella Swenson in sci-fi thriller Cowboys & Aliens, which tells the story of a spaceship arriving in Arizona in 1873.

Olivia had to get to grips with firing a weapon and was glad her co-star Daniel Craig who is the current 007 was on hand to offer support.

"Daniel taught me how to shoot my gun. Which was cool cos now I can always say that James Bond taught me how," she laughed to Cover Media.

"It was cool, the guns were really beautiful. I'm not a big gun person - I'm a pacifist, I don't really love guns in general.

"But I love these antique guns, they were so interesting but not easy to shoot."

Olivia only has one regret from the picture that she didn't have the opportunity to show off all the skills she acquired on screen. The star mastered the art of gun spinning, but it didn't make the final cut.

"We did have a gun expert who was teaching me how to spin the gun but then I never got to spin the gun," lamented the actress.

"I never got to spin the gun on camera. I think in wide shots we'd all be spinning the guns hoping we could do it and Jon [Favreau, director] would say guys not all of you can spin your guns.'

"But I did learn how, now I have this skill."

Cowboys & Aliens, which also stars Harrison Ford, hits UK cinemas on August 17. (C) Cover Media