Russell Crowe and Olga Kurylenko at the world Melbourne premiere of The Water Diviner Source: Getty Images

Oscar-winner Crowe directed Kurylenko, a former model and Bond girl, in The Water Diviner.

“I was thinking, ‘Oh my God, it's the first time he is directing, he’s never directed before.

Is it going to be hours of thinking about what are we going to do? There’s going to be glitches, we’re going to be delayed, we’re going to be watching the monitor forever.’

Actress Olga Kurylenko poses on the red carpet at the Water Diviner screening as part of the Dubai International Film Festival Source: AP

“I was worried,” Olga added. “But there was nothing to worry about. Nothing.”

If anything, Kurylenko said Crowe worked quickly in his directorial debut.

“We never got stuck. We’d often do things in two takes and move on,” she said. “He described 100 directors he’d worked with who did 20 takes.

THE WATER DIVINER

“With him, it was two. I was worried. I would ask: ‘Are you sure we got it?’ Russell would say: ‘We got it and we’re moving on.’ It’s a joy to work like this. Nobody does that.”

Russell Crowe (R) flashes the V-sign during a press conference as Olga Kurylenko (L) looks on at Turkish the premiere of "The Water Diviner" Source: AFP

The Water Diviner is a World War I drama about a father (played by Crowe) who travels to Gallipoli to recover the bodies of his three sons.

Kurylenko plays Ayshe, the film’s mysterious leading lady.

The Water Diviner opens nationally on December 26.