"The Paperboy" Photocall/Presse Konferenz in Cannes (24.05.12)

This is not your High School Musical star. Zac Efron has grown up in the new Lee Daniels film The Paperboy which is premiering in Cannes on Thursday.

Efron, 24, spends much of the steamy thriller in his underwear (briefs if you must ask) and has a steamy onscreen fling with Nicole Kidman, 44.

"It is a crazy movie," said co-star Macy Gray. "Zac was in his underwear half the time. I was distracted."

Even the Cannes festival press conference moderator posed a question which pointed out that Efron had been "eroticized" in the role.

Efron, looking GQ sharp with a snappy black tie and grey suit, could only raise his eyebrows at the comment.

"I don't think I was supposed to be comfortable (in the role)," said Efron. "It's like life. This character is learning the ways of the world. That can be uncomfortable."

This prompted Daniels to jump in.

"Eroticized?" Daniels bellowed, prompting laughter in the jam-packed press conference. "He's good looking. The camera cannot help but love him. And I'm gay."

The role is one of many shocking aspects of the thriller in which Kidman plays a woman trying to free her boyfriend from prison (John Cusack), enlisting a reporter (Matthew McConaughey) and his younger brother (Efron) in the process.

In one scene Kidman simulates sex with her prisoner boyfriend and, in another, she urinates on Efron after he's stung by jellyfish on a beach.

Efron was effusive about working with Kidman in the most intimate onscreen ways.

"I've been in love with her for a long time, since Moulin Rouge. It blew me away. I loved every minute," he said.

And when asked if he was going to continue to take "dangerous" roles he gave an enthusiastic answer.

"As much as I love everything I've done. This is a new frontier for me," said Efron. "It's incredibly fulfilling. It's a dream. Hopefully I can keep doing things like this."