Kate Winslet feared working with Justin Timberlake would be 'nightmare'

Kate Winslet was pleasantly surprised to find working with Justin Timberlake on a new film wasn’t a “complete nightmare”.

The pair star alongside each other in Woody Allen’s latest vehicle, Wonder Wheel, set in 1950’s Coney Island.

Kate plays Ginny, the wife of a carousel operator (James Belushi), who falls for Justin’s lifeguard, Mickey.

“He’s such a wonderful person,” Kate gushed to Entertainment Weekly about her co-star. “I would turn to him and say, ‘Do you know what, Justin Timberlake? The best thing about you being in this film is that you’re really not “Justin Timberlake.” If you had really been “Justin Timberlake” it could have been a complete nightmare, but really you’re not “Justin Timberlake” at all, you’re just some guy named Justin.’

“He’s totally unvain, he has an absolutely infuriating ability to learn lines fast, and he’s an all around great person — humble, fun, hard-working, easygoing, no ego. Such a joy, really.”

Justin, 36, is better known for his music career, but over the years he’s had some impressive movie roles, including the Coen brothers' Inside Llewyn Davis and crime drama Alpha Dog.

Kate has enjoyed a stellar career on the big screen, and has a staggering seven Oscars nominations to her name, with one win for 2008’s The Reader.

Heaping praise on his leading lady, Woody described the 41-year-old English actress as one of the finest stars in Hollywood.

“There are certain actors and actresses that I consider great — there’s Cate Blanchett, there’s Meryl Streep — and Kate Winslet is one of them,” he shared. “There are really just a few actresses that are deep enough to really give me a sensational rendering of the character.”

Wonder Wheel hits cinemas from December.