Morgan Freeman: 'Invictus co-star Matt Damon is big-headed'

Morgan Freeman has joked that he did not like working with his Invictus co-star Matt Damon. (AP)

Morgan Freeman has joked that he did not like working with his Invictus co-star Matt Damon.

The 72-year-old plays Nelson Mandela in the movie opposite Matt, who portrays former South African rugby captain Francois Pienaar.

"We don't get on all that good - He's got a big head, he thinks he's good-looking and all that, we didn't get on all that well at all as a matter of fact," he laughed at the film's UK premiere.

Matt - who is tipped for a Best Supporting Actor nod at the Oscars for his portrayal of Pienaar in the movie, which depicts South Africa's bid to win the rugby World Cup in 1995 - said it was an honour to be starring opposite Morgan - who was picked by Mandela himself to play him.

The Bourne Identity star, who attended the premiere with wife Luciana Barroso, said: "Mandela himself had handpicked him to play him, so everyone knew at some point Morgan was going to to do it. I just felt lucky there was a role for me to be close to him while he did it."

Matt added that he spent a lot of time with Pienaar to ensure he got the role right - and quickly realised the rugby star's status in South Africa.

He said: "It's always really helpful when you have not only an expert but in this case the person which these things actually happened to. As an actor that's really helpful - it saves a lot of research!

"Hanging out with him in South Africa was funny, because he's like Elvis down there."

Invictus opens in UK cinemas on February 5.