Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg 'cast each other'

Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg "cast each other" for 'Saving Private Ryan'.

The pair have been close friends for many years and collaborated on a number of movies and mini-series, most recently the upcoming 'Bridge of Spies', but their friendship only turned into a professional relationship when they approached each other about working on 1998's 'Saving Private Ryan'.

Steven, who directed the movie, told TIME magazine: "It's funny because a couple of times it's been my idea, once it's been Tom's idea, and once it was that we decided independent of each other. Once Tom read the first draft of a script and I read the first draft of a script and we called each other on the phone at the same moment and decided to do it together - that was 'Saving Private Ryan'. That was the one time that he cast me and I cast him."

However, lead actor Tom admitted he did some research before approaching Steven, despite their friendship.

He said: "You're giving me a little too much credit. I wasn't quite that prescient. I think I did some ground work to find out if you were open to the phone call."