How King Princess and Christine Baranski ‘Hit It Off’ and Became Close Friends (Exclusive)

King Princess opened up about her relationship with Christine Baranski.

According to the “1950” hitmaker, whose real name is Mikaela Straus, the pair “hit it off” and became close friends while they were filming season 2 of Nine Perfect Strangers together.

“We’re always holding hands on the red carpet, of course,” Straus, 26, who is genderqueer and uses she/they pronouns, tells PEOPLE. “If you attend a Broadway show with the one and only Christine Baranski, would you not hold her hand on the red carpet?”

The duo initially connected over the course of six months while the Hulu series was filming in Germany.

“Christine, she was so kind to me on set,” they say. “I remember laughing because she’s so funny, so personable and kind, treats everyone with so much respect, and she’s f—ing hilarious. Her presence on set was so fabulous, and we just kind of hit it off.”

Straus and Baranski, 73, decided to get martinis, and they ended up forming an unexpected bond over their relationship with their respective grandmothers.

“It turns out she’s from Buffalo. My grandmother was born in Buffalo, of Polish descent. That’s where my family’s from, upstate New York, and we both had these grandmothers in our lives who really encouraged us towards art,” the “Talia” singer says.

She continues: “Her grandmother would take her to the Polish theaters in Buffalo, and that was really the conception of her love of acting — spending time with her grandmother and going to see art.”

Straus experienced the same encouragement from their own grandmother.

“She was my North Star in making my art and always rode for me and saw this career for me,” she says. “So, we bonded over that, among other things. She’s funny, she’s kind. We just became friends, and we’ve stayed friends ever since. She’s my bud.”

Throughout their friendship, Straus has taken many pieces of advice from The Good Fight alum.

“I do think overall the advice that I’ve gotten from her, maybe without her even saying, just learning about her career and her life, [is] she is an example of someone who wasn’t always the star of everything she was in, but she was the favorite part,” they say, noting how the “longevity” of Baranski’s career is something they admire.

Adds Straus, “Good s— came to her because she kept working. I am so inspired by that, and I want to be 73 years old and love what I do as much as Christine loves what she does.”

According to the “Ain’t Together” artist, she and Baranski love to get dinner and go to Broadway shows together. Straus even took her to Oh, Mary!.

“She’s a Broadway queen, and it’s amazing going to Broadway with her just watching people love on her and just absolutely adore her,” says Straus.

In August, the pair were even photographed holding hands at the re-opening of Mamma Mia! on Broadway in New York City.

“At Mamma Mia!, I couldn’t tell you how many little girls came up to her and were like, ‘You’re my favorite part of this movie.’ And it’s so cute to think, ‘Wow, the martini-drunk friend of Meryl Streep is this little girl’s favorite part of the movie. That’s so f—ing cool, right?'” says Straus.

Ultimately, the Song Sung Blue actor loves any chance they get to be in her presence.

“She’s just one of the coolest people I’ve met, and I always end up smiling,” says Straus.

King Princess’ latest album Girl Violence is out now.