Brad Pitt expressed his deep admiration for Lewis Hamilton, calling him a “gem of a human being” at the world premiere of their new ‘F1’ movie. The duo worked closely on the film, which is set to make its international debut on Friday. Produced in collaboration with the FIA, Formula One ‘s governing body, the movie has Hamilton credited as a producer, with his input hailed as “invaluable” by both the Hollywood star and director Joseph Kosinski. At the New York City world premiere last week, Pitt and Hamilton shared the spotlight on the red carpet, where the Fight Club actor acknowledged that the Brit’s involvement was pivotal for the film’s production. Pitt, 61, praised the Ferrari driver’s warm nature and insight into the sport, attributing Hamilton’s near two-decade-long success in top-tier racing to more than just talent. “When Lewis came on, then it was a go. And it was a simple phone call for me,” Pitt said. “I remember we sat down that first time – and that’s less about racing and more about just sitting with a gem of a human being. There’s a reason… champions are made, I think, beyond just talent,” reports the Mirror . “It’s also how they carry themselves and how they face the world. And he is just a gem and a gent. Really, really. And then you come to what the expertise is that he has brought to this thing. “He would give us like 12 hours in a day. We’d just sit and just query and throw questions at him – ‘What about this?’ – and he really helped shape us, shape this film.” Pitt was also seen at the film’s Leicester Square premiere earlier this week, where he was joined by fellow acting icon Tom Cruise as he elaborated on how crucial Hamilton has been throughout the production process. “Lewis Hamilton is our producer, and his knowledge has been so immensely helpful,” he declared to Sky Sports . “He’s been keeping us straight going, ‘No, no, no, that doesn’t fly. It needs to go this way.’ And his knowledge, it’s so incredible. “Like right down to the sound, he can actually pick out and go, ‘No, no, That’s turn 12. That’s not turn 16. You need more reverb on the straight here, you hear this massive reverb into one.’ Like he’s that specific. It’s incredible.” Pitt highlighted the importance of the 105-time Grand Prix winner’s involvement by revealing that he came onboard after the British racing driver. “Joe [Kosinski] went and got Lewis before he got me,” he shared. “He said, ‘If I can have that kind of backing and that kind of support, then I think we can get to what I know I can do with the cameras and the car.'”