They grew up playing on the same Northern Ireland streets so James Nesbitt and Liam Neeson were enthusiastic about having the chance to collaborate.
James - who now lives in England but was raised in Londonderry just doors away from the home of Liam's grandmother - described the experience of their first film together as "fantastic".
Five Minutes Of Heaven, their hard-hitting project about reconciliation in the post-Troubles era, tracks two men on opposing sides of the Irish political divide. In the movie James' character struggles to pardon Liam, who years earlier murdered his brother.
The actors were the star attraction when they flew in to promote the flick at Dublin's international film festival.
On a whistlestop visit due to pressing Tinseltown commitments, County Antrim-born Liam said he was astounded by developments north and south of the border.
"I haven't really been here since (filming) Michael Collins and that's 14 years ago. Big changes. A lot of building," he marvelled.
Photo: Rex
