For Pearce, LA Confidential marks his first serious international foray since Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, almost four years ago. "It's been a struggle," Crowe said yesterday. "A lot of pressures, really hard work, and trying to stay focused.Because Los Angeles is a difficult environment to stay sane in. But I've finally done a film in America that's grabbed the public consciousness, and I'm interested to see how that's going to alter things."

Pearce said:"We knew as soon as we began shooting, that we were in a good position.

"It was one of those experiences where everyone is totally committed to the project, everyone shares a common vision."

Adapted from American detective writer James Ellroy's celebrated 1990 novel, Curtis Hanson's film depicts a complex web of alliances and betrayals in 1950's Hollywood.

Pearce and Crowe play LAPD officers whose investigation of a shooting in a small cafe extends to implicate virtually every level of West Coast society, from City Hall to the depths of the underworld.

To Hollywood insiders, the casting of two Australian leads initially seemed perverse, yet both Pearce and Crowe proved the sceptics wrong- their performances earned rave reviews from American critics.

Asked to explain the director's faith in them, Pearce said:"We seemed to fit with his idea of the characters. He had a really clear idea of what he wanted, and in a strange sort of way, our lack of profile seemed to suit that."

Crowe added:"What was really amazing was the number of people who were fooled. People kept saying, 'Wow, who are those two new American hotshots?"

"And that's exactly what Curtis (Hanson) wanted. He wanted you to be distracted by Danny DeVito, by Kim Basinger, by Kevin Spacey. By these known, familiar faces. And then, out of the smoke come these unknown figures, the two guys you least expect to save the day."