What Happened When James Marsden Met His Crush Helen Mirren

— -- When James Marsden came clean about his crush on Helen Mirren, he wasn't expecting to face her in person.

But that's exactly what happened during a recent appearance on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show."

"I just love her. I do. I've had a massive crush on her for years," the "Westworld" actor, 43, revealed to DeGeneres while Mirren, 71, was secretly waiting backstage.

"I was on a flight with her once to Rome and when I got off the flight, I followed her to baggage claim and, in a very voyeuristic creepy way, I took a photo of her while she was walking," Marsden admitted, adding that he had never met the actress before.

That's when DeGeneres surprised Marsden by bringing out Mirren.

The Oscar winner embraced Marsden with a kiss, then playfully posed for pictures with him -- including one from behind -- while he blushed.

"You're so handsome, oh my God, gorgeous," Mirren gushed, grabbing Marsden's hand before rushing off stage.

Overcome, the actor dropped to his knees. But he wasn't the only one slightly discombobulated. Mirren exited on the wrong side of the stage.

Marsden jumped at the opportunity to escort her backstage before returning to DeGeneres.

"Just had to give her my digits real quick," he joked. "[You] get one shot in life -- that was my shot!"

He added, "What a nice Christmas gift that was."

Marsden is not alone in his appreciation of Dame Helen. In 2011, the British actress was 66 when she beat out Jennifer Lopez, Pippa Middleton and Elle "The Body" MacPherson in the L.A. Fitness poll on the female celebrity with the best body. Three years earlier, a photo of her in a red bikini while vacationing with her husband Taylor Hackford went viral.