Outfitted in snazzy suits and a swagger, Taron Egerton held his own against industry vets including Colin Firth and Samuel L. Jackson as spy protégé Eggsy in the action-comedy Kingsman: The Secret Service.

PEOPLE chatted with the breakout Welsh actor about his rise to fame – and what’s next for him.

1. Colin Firth Is a Friend and Mentor – Both Onscreen and Off
Egerton, 25, says his favorite part about filming Kingsman was getting to work with one of the greats: Firth, who played his espionage advisor in the spy flick.

“I suppose by virtue of the fact Colin and I spent a very, very long time together, he and I became quite close. He and I are still very much in touch,” says Egerton. “He was very generous.”

And they’re not just friends: The young star learned a lot from his older costars, too.

“Obviously you can’t learn to be Samuel or Colin, but you can learn a lot about how to conduct yourself with grace and dignity and generosity,” adds Egerton. “They’re all very nice men to be around on set. They’re great colleagues as well as actors, and so yeah, I learned from watching more than anything.”
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