IT'S hard to define star quality, although it's been suggested it's a mix of charisma, confidence and determination.

There are certainly those who radiate success. Jennifer Lopez (clearly a stranger to modesty), once claimed, "I have the stardom glow". And Ewan McGregor has a certain something, he's a creature that people gravitate towards.

But while star quality may be difficult to quantify, when you come across someone who has it, it's instantly recognisable. You can almost see the Hollywood sign hovering above their head like a halo.

Amy Manson, who stars in the National Theatre of Scotland's production of Six Characters In Search of An Author, definitely has it.

She isn't a stand-out beauty, but she stands out like an Oscars-night frock in a charity shop.

The 22-year-old has a soft Scottish voice and a Celtic attractiveness that's natural.

And when you add to that wild hair, a natural talent and an attitude that she can conquer the world, you can almost visualise her perched on Jonathan Ross' couch.

"I went out to Los Angeles recently for meetings," she says. "Since then I've done about six acting jobs and I've now got to put them on a showreel and send them back. But at least I know how the game is played over there.

"And I know it's not my time yet, but I know it will come. It will happen here first."

She's right. Her performance in Six Characters - in a very demanding role - indicates she's destined for stardom.

Amy plays one of the six, a group who descend upon a theatre during rehearsals for a play and proceed to tell the director that their story is far more interesting than the one being acted out.

Then they demonstrate exactly that. Before long, the director - and the theatre audience - are caught up in the characters' story, about a family torn apart by abuse.

This leaves the director with a dilemma; does he stick with the play in production or look for a new play, using the lives of these characters?

The play, by Luigi Pirandello, also asks wider questions. Are these characters real people or are they entirely fictitious? Can the director believe them to be telling the truth? And what is the truth'?

Amy plays the abused step-daughter, a part that calls for confusion, bewilderment and a fair bit of wailing. And she wails wonderfully, in spite of the fact this is her first theatre role.

It's scary but I like work to be daring. And I love my character. There are some real violent shifts in her, she's a volcano that can go off at any time."

"You know, since I started to play her I've become a bit more snappy with people. And I've taken to saying what I feel, which is perhaps not a bad thing," she adds, laughing.

Amy is very much her own person. Without being arrogant, she's spiky and self-assured.

It's not that much of a surprise to learn she quit drama school in London after she was offered an acting job in Romania, starring in cult sci-fi horror Pumpkinhead.

"Every day was a 16-hour day," she says. "But I loved it, and I never sit on my bum. If I'm not acting I'll go off travelling."

Nor does it come as a shock that she even took off for London aged just 17. But did she at least have family backing?

"Not really," she says honestly. "I wasn't that close with my family at the time. My mum worked so hard when I was young I felt she was never there. And I sort of resented that. But not now. I realise the sacrifice she made.

"But no, she didn't encourage acting as a career. I remember once when my mum was talking to an ex-boyfriend about my choosing an acting career and she said to him I would get nowhere.

"I think from that point on I wanted to prove her wrong."

Amy, who now lives in North London with her actor boyfriend, is also honest when describing the moment she realised she wanted to become an actor.

As a teenager she had been attending Stage Coach, a Saturday drama school for young people. It was about fun - until one day...

"I had to do an improvisation, with my teacher - she was the stepmother and I was the daughter - and it involved a phone conversation between us.

"But the scenario was what was happening in my own life. At the time I felt that my step-mother was taking my father away from me.

"And this improvised scene we had created felt so real. I ended up in floods of tears. But it turned out to be an amazing release for me."

She adds: "It helped me to cope in some way. And now I like the dark parts, the real emotional challenges."

And she not only likes a challenge, she rises to one, as casting directors are beginning to notice.

Amy reveals she will appear in the final episodes of BBC science fiction drama Torchwood, starring John Barrowman.

"Torchwood was fantastic to work on, all the stunts and everything" she says. "John was always swanning around the set with his dogs. He'd come in and say Listen guys, I don't know the scene,' and be so casual, but then as soon as the cameras rolled he was brilliant. I loved working with him."

Amy, originally from Aberdeenshire, is loving life as she's got new TV work in the pipeline, she's off to Australia soon to see her sister, Ailsa, who has emigrated, and her mum loved Six Characters.

"She now believes I'm an actress," says Amy, grinning. "Maybe I am."

There's no maybe about it. Six Characters in Search of an Author, Tue-Sat, 7.30pm, Citizens' Theatre, 0141 429 0022.