Jessica Hecht Shares How Scarlett Johansson Has Changed Since First Working Together 15 Years Ago (Exclusive)

Jessica Hecht is reflecting connected really Scarlett Johansson has changed since nan brace first worked together 15 years ago.

The actresses shared nan shape successful 2010 successful nan Broadway play A View from nan Bridge, and now Hecht, 60, stars successful Eleanor nan Great, which marks Johansson's directorial debut. Speaking exclusively pinch PEOPLE astatine nan film's New York City premiere astatine Village East Cinema connected Sept. 24, Hecht says she "can't believe" she and Johansson, 40, had this opportunity to collaborate again.

Recalling their reunion, Hecht shares that nan 2 caught up and talked astir "life."

"What we ate, our stomachs, our thoughts astir relationships, her children, my kids are grown, but kids, her mother and father, and really conscionable life. The kinds of things you would talk astir pinch personification who you deliberation has a beautiful perspective," she explains.

Hecht noted that because nan Jurassic World: Rebirth prima is now a mother, she has "perspective connected what it intends to beryllium successful."

Johansson shares girl Rose, 11, pinch ex-husband Romain Dauriac, and son Cosmo, 4, with husband Colin Jost.

"I deliberation erstwhile you're a parent, you consciousness truthful otherwise astir — which is why she's truthful cleanable for this movie — what you consciousness your work is to personification else," Hecht explains, recalling that Johansson was "the astir delicious formed member" erstwhile they did A View from nan Bridge.

She continues: "Incredibly, like, 'I want everyone to beryllium happy and I want to do specified a bully occupation connected nan play.' And she was truthful determined. She really was deeply, profoundly responsible arsenic an artist. That's her basal M.O."

"But I deliberation erstwhile you person kids, you're responsible arsenic an artist, but you're besides truthful willing successful being a bully person. Which is just, I mean, nan earthy improvement of humans," Hecht adds.

As for her on-set move pinch Johansson successful nan director's chair, nan Friends prima says it was "very natural, very easy."

"I really respect her truthful deeply," Hecht tells PEOPLE. "I deliberation it's besides for me, a consciousness that she's had this tremendous movie career. I'm ever fascinated by what group person arsenic portion of their DNA aft having that magnitude of clip successful that profession. I find it very powerful, and that she does truthful small to definitive nan artistry of thing that she's been portion of."

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Eleanor nan Great, which premiered successful prime theaters connected Friday, Sept. 26, stars June Squibb successful nan titular domiciled arsenic "the witty and proudly troublesome 94-year-old Eleanor Morgenstein, who — aft a devastating nonaccomplishment — tells a communicative that takes connected a vulnerable life of its own," per a synopsis. After her champion friend dies, Eleanor moves to N.Y.C. to unrecorded pinch her daughter, Lisa (played by Hecht), and strikes up an improbable relationship pinch a assemblage student (Erin Kellyman).

The movie besides stars Chiwetel Ejiofor, Rita Zohar and Will Price.

Eleanor nan Great is successful prime theaters now.