Washington, Jun 26 (ANI): Welsh actor Michael Sheen was left devastated when he came to know that his long time friend director Peter Morgan had quit work on his new Tony Blair movie ‘The Special Relationship’.

Sheen, 40, and Morgan, 46, had shared a close relationship ever since the screenwriter cast the actor in his 2006 play Frost/Nixon, which went onto become Sheen’s Oscar-nominated movie.

Morgan was also responsible for casting Sheen as former British Prime Minister Blair in his critically acclaimed film ‘The Queen’, and he was set to make his directorial debut in ‘The Special Relationship’ - based on Blair’s political relationship with former U.S. President Bill Clinton.

He has now pulled out just weeks before filming was due to start, without giving any reason for his decision, leaving Sheen struggling to comprehend the news.

“Michael and Peter have a very successful history together so this will inevitably come as a blow to Michael. Michael now has to get used to working with a different director,” Contactmusic quoted a source as telling the Daily Express.

British filmmaker Richard Loncraine, who directed 2004 movie Wimbledon, will replace Morgan in the drama, which is due for release in 2011. (ANI)