Tina Fey (pretend) proposes to best friend Amy Poehler

Unfortunately, it was all a joke

Fey and Poehler have been friends since their twenties (Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

Tina Fey has proposed to her long-time friend and collaborator Amy Poehler… all in the name of comedy.

The stunt was carried out at the premiere of their new film Sisters in New York on Wednesday.

According to Variety, Fey, 45, conducted the pretend proposal down on one knee as she reminded fans: “In the state of New York, it’s legal now,” which was reportedly met with loud applause.

Sisters is the pair’s first venture since 2008’s Baby Mama, and before that Mean Girls (2004) which Fey wrote.

Fey recently told Glamour they will join forces and make a comeback every seven or so years “like an Adele album”.

The two have a long-standing friendship spanning many years and became friends before gaining prominence as two of America's best-loved comedians.

The duo met when they both acted in an improvisation group based in Chicago in their twenties.

The two then both had long-running stints on the cult-US comedy sketch show Saturday Night Live before going on to host the Golden Globes from 2012 to 2015, a stint which received critical acclaim.

In each of their respected autobiographies they have dedicated a chapter to each other.