Mirren would make a good spy

Bruce Willis has joked that his Red co-star Dame Helen Mirren could be a secret agent.

The British actress appears as a veteran spy opposite the Hollywood hunk in the new thriller, which tells the tale of an assassin whose life is under threat, and also stars Morgan Freeman and Mary-Louise Parker.

Bruce thinks Helen is so good at playing a secret agent he’s begun to wonder whether she could have a double life as a spy, teasing that some mysterious goings-on had occurred on set.

"She's just there listening to what you're saying, taking notes, and all of a sudden you feel a little stabbing pain back here, and you're on the floor," joked Bruce.

The 65-year-old actress laughed off the suggestions, although she did admit she loved working with action hero Bruce. Helen was thrilled to discover Bruce didn’t have a big ego, despite being such a huge Hollywood star. She also appreciated his strong work ethic.

"I was very lucky in our leader Bruce," she gushed. “A huge movie star, but he's also an incredibly down-to-earth, welcoming, hardworking geezer.”