Sandra Bullock Jokes About Pal Billy Bob Thornton: ‘Everyone Thinks He Wants To Kill You’

They may play rivals on-screen, but off-screen it’s a different story.

Sandra Bullock and Billy Bob Thornton looked friendly as ever at the premiere of their new film Our Brand Is Crisis at the TCL Theatre in Hollywood on Monday night.

While on the red carpet, Bullock, 51, joked to PEOPLE about what it was like to work with her longtime pal Thornton, 60.

“The funny thing about Billy Bob, everyone thinks he wants to kill you. Like, he looks at you as if he wants to take a, what is it, a shank? What is that knife they make in prison?” she joked.

The pair both struck fame in the late ’80s and became friends in the business. According to Bullock, Thornton has been exactly the same as when she first encountered him.

“He’s the nicest human being, the nicest human being ever. So kind. It surprises me every time, I don’t know why. He’s got the tattoos and the little shirt and the boots. You’re assuming a knife somewhere in the back pocket. But there’s no knife, just love. Just love.”

And the love went both ways, as he complimented Bullock right back.

“She’s hilarious. I love being around her. She’s so fun to joke around with. She’s such a regular gal. She doesn’t have the ego that a big star like her you think would have. Really down to Earth girl,” Thornton said.

“And I’ve known Sandy before the movie, but the first time we worked together, and she’s as easy to work with as she is to hang out with.”

Bullock worked alongside another longtime pal, George Clooney, whom she’s known since a couple of years out of college.

Clooney, 54, serves as one of the film’s producers and attended the premiere with wife Amal Alamuddin.

Turns out the trio’s latest project together was a reunion of some sorts.

“The part of it that I really loved, was the fact that me and Sandy and George could be in the same room together at a press conference, knowing where we’d all been. You know what I mean?” Thornton explained about working with his pals.

“It was actually kind of moving and really nice to see we’re still around, still doing it, and still making the big movies. It was a nice thing, and they’re nice people. I love them.”

This originally appeared on People.com