Zac Efron's chat-up line to Nicole Kidman in new Netflix rom-com A Family Affair infuriates Aussies

By Kate Dennett For Daily Mail Australia 00:59 03 Jul 2024, updated 02:04 03 Jul 2024

• READ MORE: Nicole Kidman and Zac Efron reveal the VERY explicit original title for their latest Netflix rom-com A Family Affair

Zac Efron has annoyed Aussies with a cringeworthy chat-up line in his new Netflix rom-com A Family Affair.

The American actor, 36, takes on the role of airhead LA movie star Chris Cole in the age-gap romance, with Australian megastar Nicole Kidman playing his love interest.

Nicole, 57, plays Brook Harwood, the mother of his long-suffering assistant Zara (Joey King), and she unexpectedly falls for Chris after a chance encounter.

They first meet when Chris visits Zara's house to try and rehire her after she grew tired of his shallow antics, but he instead comes across her mother Nicole.

Making his initial attraction clear, the pair begin a flirty exchange as Chris tries to get to know Brook better, signaling the start of their romance.

However, viewers watching Down Under were left rolling their eyes at one cringeworthy chat-up line which was the ultimate stereotype of Australia.

After hearing Brook's Australian twang, Chris asks her: 'Do I sense an accent, like South African or?'

Clarifying her accent, Brook then confirms: 'No, I'm Australian.'

In a cringeworthy line, Chris then asks: 'Do you know Margot Robbie?' seemingly referencing the stereotype that everyone knows each other Down Under.

After clarifying she doesn't in fact know the Barbie actress,  Chris then says: 'Mmm. I do.'

The line is also a joke to the fact that Hollywood star Nicole does in fact know Margot, 34, in real-life, having both previously starred in a movie together.

The two Australian actresses have often rubbed shoulders and starred together as the leads in 2019 thriller Bombshell alongside South-African star Charlize Theron.

A Family Affair dropped on Netflix on June 28, but Nicole recently revealed that the age-gap rom com was originally given a much more explicit title.

She recently revealed to People: 'Originally, it had a different title. It was called Motherf***er. Beeped out. Somehow that didn't make it onto the Netflix title.'

But Zac said the bold title drew people's attention to the script, adding: 'That made the script stay at the top of the pile. It's like, what on earth could this be about?'

Nicole and Zac's on-screen reunion was hotly-anticipated after they previously starred as lovers in the 2012 crime drama, The Paperboy.

However, their new rom-com has divided viewers, with fans expecting more steamy scenes and romantic action from the flick.