'Gladiator II' star Fred Hechinger gushes over working with Denzel Washington

Fred Hechinger is opening up about his experience sharing the screen with veteran actor Denzel Washington.

Speaking with People, Hechinger, 24, called it "a great honour" to appear alongside an actor as esteemed as Washington, 69.

"It's also an immense joy," he said in a recent interview. "He's such a deep and true actor."

Hechinger, who stars as Caracalla, also spoke fondly of Washington's process for getting into the character of Macrinus, a former slave with plans to gain power.

"I feel that the scenes were one thing on the page, and then you walk into it and you start to play and stuff comes up," he told the publication. "That's just so of the moment, and that's what it was every day with him. He's just so there."

The White Lotus actor, 24, recalled the shoots being those "pinch me" moments for him while filming Gladiator II—which marked his first major blockbuster was acting opposite two-time Oscar winner.

"There are dreams and then there are things that are beyond dreams that you couldn't even dream this up," he said. "And working with him in this way felt like that."

Gladiator II is in theaters now. Hechinger also has some upcoming projects like drama Nickel Boys and action film Kraven the Hunter.