Anne Heche Was a 'Hero' for Victims of Violence, Says Girl in Room 13 Director Elisabeth Röhm

Ryan Plummer/A+E Networks/Lifetime

One of Anne Heche's final projects was a testament to her fight against violence and abuse.

Elisabeth Röhm, the director of the upcoming Lifetime film Girl in Room 13, opens up to PEOPLE about Heche's "beautiful, passionate, bright light" after the actress died at age 53 on Friday, following a fiery car crash last week.

"She was just a total pleasure, a hero for the film. She became a good friend and did a phenomenal job," Röhm, 49, says. "Her performance is a tour de force, and it was really a privilege to direct her."

In Girl in Room 13, Heche played Janie, the "heroic mother" of a recovering opioid addict (Larissa Dias) who is kidnapped by human traffickers. The movie follows Janie's determined fight to rescue her daughter.

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"Every single morning, she would come to set and she said, 'We will not stand for abuse!' And she would pump her fist and have this just beautiful, bright smile. She was so committed to making an incredibly deep, profound, important performance," Röhm adds.

She explains that the topic held a special place for both of them, and Heche was "a fierce warrior through art and through her platform."

"Anne was very open about the abuse she sustained in her childhood," Röhm says. "And I believe that she was committed her whole life to making an impact and protecting women and being a voice against abuse."

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Ryan Plummer/A+E Networks/Lifetime

Along with Dias, 29, Heche and Röhm participated in an upcoming PSA for a partnership between Lifetime, the Polaris Project and the National Human Trafficking Hotline. "What we really shared was a passion for the topic we were gonna tackle," she says.

Röhm previously spoke to Heche a few days before her accident as the actress wanted them to see the film together, but the last time they saw each other in person was when production wrapped in Vancouver.

"We hugged and whooped it up, and we were just so happy and so fulfilled and content," she recalls. "And she left me a beautiful message the next day saying that it was such an important project to her and she was so proud of this film. We had really built a beautiful friendship through it."

RELATED: Anne Heche's Eldest Son Homer Speaks Out After Her Death: 'I Am Left with a Deep, Wordless Sadness'

In addition to Röhm, Lifetime also paid tribute to Heche in a statement to PEOPLE on Friday.

"It is with a heavy heart that we say goodbye to the talented Anne Heche," the statement read. "Anne was an incredible mother, friend and brilliant actress that brought her passion into every project. From Gracie's Choice, Fatal Desire, Girl Fight and Girl in Room 13, Anne has been an indelible member of the Lifetime family throughout the years. She will be missed by us all."

In regards to her upcoming film, a Lifetime spokesperson added, "Anne was passionate about stopping violence against women and bringing awareness to human trafficking. She delivered a masterful performance in Girl in Room 13."

Ryan Plummer/A+E Networks/Lifetime

A rep for Heche confirmed the actress' death to PEOPLE in a statement Friday on behalf of her friends and family: "Today we lost a bright light, a kind and most joyful soul, a loving mother, and a loyal friend."

"Anne will be deeply missed but she lives on through her beautiful sons, her iconic body of work, and her passionate advocacy. Her bravery for always standing in her truth, spreading her message of love and acceptance, will continue to have a lasting impact."

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Although Heche was legally dead according to California law at the time of the announcement, it had "long been her choice to donate her organs," so Heche's heart was still beating at the time and she was still on life support in order to allow OneLegacy Foundation enough time to find recipients who will be a match.

The rep previously told PEOPLE that Heche suffered "a severe anoxic brain injury" and was "in a coma, in critical condition" on Thursday, adding: "She is not expected to survive."

RELATED VIDEO: Remembering Anne Heche

Heche was driving a blue Mini Cooper that crashed into a home last Friday morning in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Mar Vista, causing the residence inhabited by Lynne Mishele to catch fire.

The Los Angeles Fire Department responded to the call at around 10:56 a.m. It took 59 firefighters around 65 minutes to extinguish the flame and extract Heche from the driver's seat, according to a news release.

In addition to Girl in Room 13, Heche had several other projects in the works. She was set to star opposite Dermot Mulroney in the upcoming horror-thriller Full Ride, had a recurring role in All Rise on OWN and was premiering in Sam Levinson and The Weeknd's HBO show Idol.

Heche shared 13-year-old son Atlas with ex-partner James Tupper, who previously paid tribute to the actress after her accident. She also shared son Homer, 20, with ex-husband Coleman Laffoon, to whom she was married from 2001 until their divorce was finalized in 2009.

Girl in Room 13 premieres Sept. 17 on Lifetime.