Kate Beckinsale has praised Sarah Silverman as a good influence on her daughter Lily.

Speaking on 'The Talk', she said: "We get on really well. I mean, I love Sarah. I'd love her if she didn't have anything to do with Michael. I'm just glad Michael found her.

"I think, especially actors for some reason, they think you're throwing shoes at each other and plotting each other's death. We're not. She's lovely.

"And I love that my daughter's got different options than just me. Like a good, strong, core woman that isn't necessarily me."

This isn't the first time Kate, 42, has gushed about Sarah, 45, who has been dating Michael since 2014.

She previously said: "I'm completely open to any other strong, cool sensitive independent-thinking women who are going to be an influence in my daughter's life. Sarah's a great person and I'm glad she's in the village that's helping. It's important as a teenager to have good women in your life building up the fabric of your experience of becoming a woman. Even if Sarah wasn't Michael's girlfriend I'd want her to be in that."

She also admitted her shock that people were surprised that she is close to Michael, 47 and his girlfriend.

She said: "Sarah's such a fantastic woman, I love her and Michael and I have gotten on for years now. I've known him since I was 22, we're basically family.

"The thing that surprised me was what a big deal everybody made about us all getting on and then thinking, 'that's really sad if it's that unusual'. I don't think any of us were thinking, 'This is a huge achievement we're not punching each other.'"