Gemma Arterton and Elizabeth Debicki "built" even more on the "chemistry" they already shared on the set of 'Vita and Virginia'.

Gemma Arterton

Gemma Arterton

The actresses play titular author Virginia Woolf and socialite Vita Sackville-West respectively, who have an explosive affair in the biopic, and the pair already "adored" each other as friends in real life before they started working on the film, which only strengthened their bond further.

Praising her co-star's "vivid and powerful" performance, Elizabeth, 28, said: "She [Gemma] is a sublime actress and absolutely glorious woman.

"Her Vita is so vivid and powerful.

"As Virginia I only had to look at her and feel awe."

Whilst Gemma, 33, added to DIVA magazine: "Vita and Virginia were polar opposites, which is why I believe they were so drawn to one another.

"Vita confident and physical, Virginia awkward and intellectual.

"Elizabeth and I are quite different ourselves, but adore each other, so I suppose our chemistry was already there for us to build on."

The pair are involved in such an intense on-screen affair and Gemma said if Vita and Virginia were alive now, her alter ego would be "obsessing" over people not reading her messages on WhatsApp.

She said: "If they were alive now, they'd be prolific WhatsAppers. Virginia would be obsessing over the blue ticks!"

Gemma recently admitted she felt "kind of promiscuous" reading the screenplay, which is largely based on the real life letters of the two lovers.

She said:"I think what anchored me was something I connected with at the time of reading the screenplay: I felt kind of promiscuous, and that I couldn't give my heart away. For me, the key was her line: 'If you leave me adrift, I will hurt you.'"