Nicolas Cage, himself a critically acclaimed actor, has worked with several A-listers, but in his view, his latest co-star was the best, even more than Meryl Streep.
"Listen, I can't think of a better actor that I've ever worked with, and I include Meryl Streep in that group," he tells EW, referring to Isla Johnston, with whom he stars in The Carpenter's Son.
"I think that she's going to be one of the most luminary stars in cinema," the National Treasure star gushes, noting, "I know she's playing Joan of Arc, which is perfect."
Nicolas’s remark was a reference to reports that Baz Luhrmann and Warner Bros. were eyeing Isla to appear in a movie on Jehanne d’Arc.
He continues, "She has that thousand-yard stare in her eyes that looks like she's looking right through you and into the epicenter of your creation and your DNA. I mean, it's wild."
These are major compliments for the up-and-coming British star, who is just 18 and has appeared in The Queen's Gambit as Anya Taylor-Joy's younger version and in Apple TV's sci-fi series Invasion.
The Carpenter's Son opens in cinemas Nov. 14.