Mark Strong had admitted that he is honoured by Ian McKellan praise.
The two actors worked together in the nineties and McKellan has gone on to call Strong, who is back on the big screen this week in Robin Hood, 'the greatest living actor in England right now.'
He told the Press Association: That is an unbelievable compliment and I hope he wasn't being mischievous when he said it."
"He is one of my great inspirations because he is such a consummate actor and I would definitely say some of the reason I've got any idea what to do in this business is because of him."
Strong teams up with Russell Crowe and Cate Blanchett this week for Ridley Scott re-telling of the famous tale of Robin Hood.
The British actor takes on the role of Sir Godfrey in the movie, the life long friend of King John.
"Every good morality tale has a good and bad guy. Godfrey's job in this, in broad strokes, is to be Robin's nemesis, and the man we love to hate."
It's already been a busy year for Mark Strong with Sherlock Holmes and Kick Ass doing well at the box office.
And the roles just keep flooding in as he will appear in The Way Back, The Eagle of the Ninth and The Guard this year before taking on the role of Sinestro in Green Lantern in 2011.
Robin Hood is released 12th May.
Tagged in Sir Ian McKellen Mark Strong