United Kingdom, Sept. 21 -- Lily James has joked she landed her role in Cliffhanger as Sylvester Stallone wasn't available.

The 36-year-old actress is preparing to take on her first major Hollywood action role as she leads a reboot of the 1993 rock climbing thriller, which originally starred Stallone as its hero.

Lily told the People newspaper: "It is the most amazing film and I guess Sylvester Stallone wasn't available, so they just thought. Lily James."

She added casting directors in Los Angeles had begun promoting her as a "Sylvester Stallone type".

Best known for roles in Downton Abbey and Pam and Tommy, Lily has been cast as Naomi, a woman whose family becomes the target of kidnappers in the new version of Cliffhanger.

The origi...