Dev Patel thinks Maggie Smith is a "scene-stealer".
The 24-year-old actor who stars alongside the legendary actress in ‘The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel’ and its sequel has joked that she just "rolls in" at the end of a scene with one line and completely steals it.
He said: "Most of the film I spent with Maggie Smith. She is tremendous. She’s so elegant. She’s the true epitome of a scene-stealer.
"My character is spewing off a thousand lines super fast and then she’ll roll in at the end of the scene and say one line and completely steal it."
The ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ star also insisted he has "great chemistry" with the 80-year-old actress and enjoys seeing how the characters’ friendship grows throughout the movie.
He added: "It was great chemistry. We’re the oddest of on-screen couples, but a really fun, unlikely duo.
"I play this character that is ever the optimist but spreads himself very very thin because he’s so ambitious. And she is the woman who’s doing damage control.
"But as the film progresses, she becomes a mother figure to my character, and it gets very emotional. It was wonderful."
Dev also revealed it brought out the "inner fanboy" in him when he found out Richard Gere would be starring in the film.
He added to TIME magazine: "Obviously to have Richard Gere among us brought out the inner fanboy in me.
"They’re so gracious and so lovely and everyone has a wonderful sense of humour.
"The boiling heat and exhausting desert of India can be quite tiring, but they were all so supportive and patient."
Dev Patel: Maggie Smith is a ‘scene-stealer’
