Iconic Skins actor has a little known link with Angelina Jolie as star brands them 'a gift'

Even though we should all have gotten used to this sensation a long time ago, every time an unlikely celebrity friendship comes to fruition thanks to Hollywood, we're all left stunned.

Remember that selfie of Russell Crowe, Johnny Depp and Ed Sheeran sipping a pint together last month?

Well, a lot of people are still reeling from that - so God knows how they are going to cope when they find out which star of the iconic British TV series Skins is on nickname terms with Angelina Jolie.

That's right - she's known as 'Angie' to him these days, while she is shouting from the rooftops about how much of a 'gift' he is to humankind.

And I know what your thinking - but no, it's not Sid.

Instead, it's one of the many stars of the show who went on to take their career to Hollywood heights after they wrapped up the Bristol-based series, which made them household names in the UK.

Nicholas Hoult is constantly in a blockbuster, while Kaya Scodelario's role in the hit Netflix series The Gentlemen is still being talked about all these months later.

Slumdog Millionaire star Dev Patel also made a name for himself across the pond, as did Jack O'Connell - which has somehow led to him striking up a friendship with Jolie.

Although they keep their companionship quite lowkey, the pair can't stop complimenting one another whenever an interviewer brings up their unlikely alliance.

Jolie struck up a friendship with an unlikely Brit star (Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images)

It all started when O'Connell got cast as the lead in the 2014 flick Unbroken, which Jolie directed.

In the biographical war drama, the 34-year-old stars as American World War II veteran and Olympic runner Louis Zamperini, who survives 47 days floating in the Pacific Ocean on a raft after his plane crashes.

He is then captured by the Japanese navy and sent to a series of prisoner of war camps, where he becomes the prime target for a particularly cruel prison commander.

While filming the hard-hitting movie in Australia from 2013, O'Connell ended up getting very chummy with the Mr and Mrs Smith star, and they became firm friends.

Speaking to E! about his experience of working with the legendary actress, he said: "She’s a very selfless individual. "That’s one trait I hope to inherit from her. She knows where my priorities are; she knows I have a good relationship with my mom and that’s very important to her."

The pair became pals after working on the 2014 film Unbroken together (Fred Duval/FilmMagic)

He said she was 'very compassionate' while directing Unbroken, adding: "She approaches everything like an equal and is thoughtful. She knows what it takes."

O'Connell even joked that he would have even babysat Jolie's infamous brood if she asked, before jokingly saying: "It probably would have been the last thing I would have done on that job."

But don't worry, this isn't just a one-way thing - as Jolie thinks the absolute world of the actor too.

She described the Skins star as a 'gift' and said she knew he was the perfect man for the job in Unbroken after their first meeting.

"As soon as I met him, I knew he was Louis," she said.

Jolie even presented him with a gong for the New Hollywood Award at the Hollywood Film Awards in 2014 for his work on the film, seeing him tell the crowd she was his 'esteemed boss, a good friend, her ladyship.'

Sweetly, O'Connell thanked her for the 'unconditional support and dedicated leadership' she had given him while working on the project together.

Right you two, we need an update on this bizarre - but beautiful - friendship.