More than a decade later, the onscreen chemistry between Zac Efron and Nicole Kidman remains to be palpable.
As the pair promotes their new Netflix romantic comedy A Family Affair, they not too long ago defined that they “both feel safe” with one another and reminisced about first working collectively on The Paperboy (2012).
“We had so much fun doing that, but it was crazy,” he advised People of the Lee Daniels-helmed crime drama.
“I’m still so enamored with Nicole,” admitted Efron. “There’s a part of me that pinches myself when I realize who I’m working with a lot. I think that was more pronounced during The Paperboy because I was a lot younger. I was very nervous back then.”
Inspired by a real story, Matthew McConaughey starred in The Paperboy as Ward Jansen, a journalist who returns to his Florida hometown in 1969 to put in writing a narrative about death-row inmate Hillary Van Wetter (John Cusack). After hiring his brother Jack (Efron) as his driver, the younger man develops an infatuation with Hillary’s devoted girlfriend Charlotte Bless (Kidman).
Nicole Kidman, Joey King and Zac Efron in ‘(*12*)‘. (Netflix)
Cr. Tina Rowden/Netflix © 2024
After portraying romantic opposites within the movie, which featured Kidman’s character urinating on Efron to alleviate a jellyfish sting, the actress defined that their behind-the-scenes belief was a bonus when teaming up once more for A Family Affair.
“It’s really helpful when you’re doing this sort of work together that you’ve already got a history together, because it’s easy,” mentioned Kidman. “You’re not working to create a history. So I’m not like, ‘Can I touch you?’ I feel incredibly trusting of Zac.”
Efron echoed the sentiment, including, “We both feel safe, and we take care of each other.”
Although The Paperboy premiered to blended evaluations, the film earned Kidman a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actress — Motion Picture.
In A Family Affair, now streaming on Netflix, Efron performs Hollywood star Chris Cole, who begins an surprising romance with widow Brooke Harwood (Kidman), who occurs to be the mom of his under-appreciated private assistant Zara Ford (Joey King).
Kidman praised Efron for being “game” within the making of their new film, noting that he “came in and makes the film because he was like, ‘I’m here to have fun, to play, and to very much be a part of this and be there for you,’ for both Joey and I.”