Nicole Kidman sent "provocative" text messages to Lee Daniels to land her role in Paperboy.

The director was reluctant to cast such a big-name actress in the low-budget movie - which sees Zac Efron and Matthew McConaughey play two brothers investigating the case of a death row inmate played by John Cusack - so Nicole went to extreme lengths to get him to agree to cast her as a sex-crazed woman obsessed with marrying a convicted killer.

"Lee said, 'Look, we've got no money, you're going to have to do your own hair and make-up. So I actually went into my bathroom and I got out the fake tan and put on fake eyelashes and got a hairpiece thing that was platinum, threw it all on and texted a photo to Lee in all these different provocative positions. That's how it came together. What he sent back I can't say, but it was a thumbs up."

Zac also enjoyed appearing in the movie because he was "in love" with his co-star. Speaking at the Cannes Film Festival at a press conference for the film, he said, "I have been in love with her for a long time, since Moulin Rouge!. It was the best opportunity in the world for me, and I loved every moment."

And Lee was pleased with his cast - particularly a scene where Zac is out in the rain in just his underwear. "He's a good-looking guy. And I'm gay. What do you want?" he joked.