Bella Ramsey says meeting Joe Alwyn on the set of 'Catherine, Called Birdy' was "awkward."

The 18-year-old actress takes on the title role of the upcoming medieval comedy film while 'Mary Queen of Scots' star Joe, 31, - who has been dating pop megastar Taylor Swift since 2016 - plays her Uncle George and explained that being "shy" around each other actually set them up well for filming and she felt "safe" with him on set.

She said: "We’re both quite shy. When we met each other, we were a bit awkward. I think that actually set us up really well. Birdy and Uncle George just get each other in a way that me and Joe do. He’s just so gentle and sincere. I felt very safe with him."

Meanwhile, Bella - who is known for having played Lyanna Mormont in 'Game of Thrones' between 2016 and 2019 and also starred in the title role of Mildred Hubble in CBBC show 'The Worst Witch' from 2017 until 2019 - is being directed by former 'Girls' star Lena Dunham, 36, admitted that she never had anyone in mind for the role other than Joe.

In the joint interview, Lena told Vanity Fair: "He’s the only person I asked to do the part. Uncle George is the hunk in Birdy’s life who she sees in this idealised way. He’s never afraid to go to a strange or different place with the work."

'Catherine, Called Birdy' is based on the 1994 novel of the same name by Karen Cushman and tells the story of a young woman whose father is financially destitute and attempts to marry her off to a wealthy suitor but she defies his plans.

'Catherine, Called Birdy' - which also stars Andrew Scott and Billie Piper - is set for a limited release in cinemas on September 23 but will be available to stream on Prime Video from October 7.