Meryl Streep thinks Cher ''steals'' the show in 'Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again'.

The 69-year-old actress has reprised her role as Donna Sheridan in the musical sequel - the first time she has appeared in the follow-up to one of her films - but she has admitted the legendary singer, who plays her mother Ruby, was the one who had all eyes on her - especially when she started singing the ABBA hit 'Fernando'.

Speaking to 'Entertainment Tonight', Streep said: ''It was fantastic.

''I came on the set the day that she sang 'Fernando.' That was my first day... And she just lifted the lid off the place! I mean, she steals the movie!''

Streep then joked that the 72-year-old singer ''appropriately'' plays her mother in the movie because she's ''lived longer'' than her - despite only being three years older.

She quipped: ''She's lived a much longer life than I have.''

The pair previously worked together on the 1983 drama 'Silkwood' and, although this is the first time since then that they have starred alongside one another, Cher felt more relaxed knowing that she'd have the actress on hand to help her.

She explained: We've stayed friends all these years. I cannot believe that, but ['Silkwood'] was my first film, and she helped me. I mean, she was unbelievable, because I had no idea what I was doing. It's great to see her [again].''

Although Cher was a big fan of Abba - whose music soundtracks the movie - before she started work on the film, she recently admitted that she hadn't appreciated how ''complicated'' the songs were until she started singing herself.

Speaking at a press conference in London alongside co-stars including Lily James and Amanda Seyfried, she told BANG Showbiz: ''In America we knew the hit songs, but then when I heard 'Fernando' I heard a different thing.

''I heard the acting of it and I didn't realise the songs were so complicated and I didn't realise how orchestrated and produced they were.''