Henry Lloyd-Hughes Jokes He Became ‘Royalty’ to Colin Firth After the Actor Learned This About Him (Exclusive)

The English actors bonded behind the scenes of the new Steven Spielberg film 'Disclosure Day'

NEED TO KNOW

• Henry Lloyd-Hughes shared how he and Colin Firth became friends while working on Disclosure Day
• The Harry Potter actor joked that he became “royalty” to Firth after sharing a personal detail about himself
• Henry also revealed how the pair bonded off the set and called Firth a “national treasure”

Henry Lloyd-Hughes and Colin Firth became fast friends on the set of Disclosure Day.

Speaking with PEOPLE at the New York City premiere of the Steven Spielberg-directed film on June 8, Henry, 40, revealed what it was like to work closely with fellow English actor Firth, 65.

It was actually a personal detail that fast-tracked his friendship with the Mamma Mia! star, Henry — known for his roles in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, The Inbetweeners and Anna Karenina — told PEOPLE.

Asked what it was like to work with Firth at the sci-fi film's June 8 premiere, Henry said, “I mean, he's a big national treasure, I would say, in the U.K. And luckily, he's a huge football fan, and my sister [Flo Lloyd-Hughes] is pretty big in the world of football.”

“She's a broadcaster for soccer, so as soon as he found out who my sister was, you know, I was royalty,” he continued with a laugh. “That was the game changer, really.”

Henry — who is also brother to actor Ben Lloyd-Hughes, known for his roles in Divergent and Me Before You — said that after Firth learned of his tie to the popular broadcaster, the Disclosure Day costars spent some time together off set, including cheering on the English soccer team Arsenal F.C. together.

“So we went to some Arsenal games. He's a big Arsenal fan,” Henry told PEOPLE, later adding of Firth, “He's a lovely guy. And [he's] absolutely phenomenal in the film. Hugely phenomenal.” 

While discussing the striking blue contact lenses that Firth wears in Disclosure Day — and how unsettling the visual was at times — Henry added, “I was up close, and it was scary.”

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Disclosure Day follows Daniel Kellner (Josh O'Connor) and Margaret Fairchild (Emily Blunt), who are drawn together by mysterious forces and work to evade the sinister Wardex corporation, which wants to prevent them from sharing classified information with the world. Noah Scanlon (Firth) leads Wardex's efforts to thwart the duo, and Henry plays his right-hand man, Casper Boyd.

The film also stars Eve Hewson, Wyatt Russell and Colman Domingo, and features a script and score from Spielberg's longtime collaborators David Koepp and John Williams.

Asked what it was like to play a character some may interpret as villainous, Henry told PEOPLE that it is a concept he has been ruminating on recently.

“I was talking to David, the writer, about this, the idea that you don't have villains, you have antagonists because Kellner, he's passionate about what he believes in, and we are also passionate about what we believe in,” Henry said of his and Firth's Disclosure Day characters.

“There are two value systems that are opposed, but that doesn't necessarily make us villains,” he continued. “I think it's an interesting tension to have, that, ‘Who are you rooting for?' ”

Disclosure Day is in theaters now.

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