The Paperboy (2012 film) The Paperboy is a 2012 American drama film starring Matthew McConaughey, Zac Efron, John Cusack, Nicole Kidman and David Oyelowo. Directed by Lee Daniels, it is based on the 1995 novel The Paperboy by American author Pete Dexter. The film competed for the Palme d'Or at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival and received Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild Award nominations for Kidman's performance.