Andra Day Reveals Nickname for Glenn Close After Playing Her Daughter in “The Deliverance” (Exclusive)

"I admire her. It was just great to be her daughter and to watch her work," Andra Day tells PEOPLE

Andra Day established a loving mother-daughter rapport with costar Glenn Close.

In Netflix's upcoming horror-drama The Deliverance, Day plays Ebony Jackson, a struggling single mom of three with a complicated relationship with her sick mother, Alberta (Close).

Living under one roof, the duo experience demons in a haunted house during the film, which is directed by Lee Daniels and also stars Mo'Nique and Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor.

"I was in love with her and she loved me," Day, 39, tells PEOPLE of her on-set dynamic with Close, 77, between takes, despite their characters often being combative.

"What we developed is the deeper kinship and the mother-daughter relationship. On camera, it was like, okay, we can muster up everything that we need for this scene to be angry at each other. But underneath that has to be a never-quitting," she continues.

Related: Andra Day Fights Demons with Glenn Close and Mo'Nique in Trailer for Lee Daniels' The Deliverance (Exclusive)

"It was more important that the love between us was there," adds the 2021 Best Actress Oscar nominee for The United States vs. Billie Holiday. "Then we could do what we needed to do for the scenes where we're just beefing and there's so much anger and pain. But we needed that love and we absolutely have it."

Day says, "I freaking love [Close]," before adding, "I still call her Mom Glenn!"

"I admire her. It was just great to be her daughter and to watch her work," she continues, noting, "The way she embodied this character and the way — watching her, she's so legendary and she's been doing this to the highest level for such a long time."

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Close had a "youthful hunger to her," says Day. "But there was also the absolute veteran that just goes in, embodies the scene and will not stop until she gets it."

"It was incredible being on a set of women who are at the top of their game and at the top of their craft and are still hungry, are still wanting to do their best, still have that fire and will not stop until they get it," the singer-actress adds. "It was amazing."

On Instagram, Close has expressed that "being in this movie and learning in this movie will remain one of the best experiences of my career." Furthermore, the eight-time Oscar nominee called The Deliverance "one of the best, most joyous, challenging and humbling experiences of my career."

"What a thrill to be in a movie with these sublime actresses," added Close.

The Deliverance is in select theaters Aug. 16, then available to stream on Netflix starting Aug. 30.

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