Emily in Paris star Lucien Laviscount kept making a cheeky faux pas while filming in France – by mistakenly complimenting strangers on their bums.
Despite working in the glam capital for two years, the actor failed to grasp the lingo.
And he was lucky his mix-ups didn’t land him in l’eau chaude (that’s hot water to you and me), he reveals.
Lucien, 30, stars as sharp-suited Alfie in the hit Netflix romcom, who meets Emily, played by Lily Collins, 33, at French classes.
But he admits: “I don’t speak any French whatsoever. My French didn’t get any better.
“I was saying, ‘Thank you, nice bum’, to everyone last year, from Uber drivers to staff. I’m lucky I didn’t get MeToo-ed for it!”
‘Thank you very much’ is ‘Merci beaucoup’ in French… but if mispronounced, it becomes ‘Merci, beau cul’, or ‘Thank you, nice bum’.
Burnley-born Lucien started out as a child model for M&S before landing the role of swimmer Ben Richardson in Coronation Street – and sharing a kiss with Kym Marsh ’s Michelle Connor in 2009.
Two years later, he appeared in Celebrity Big Brother, where he met and dated Kerry Katona, who is 12 years his senior.
After landing the major role in seasons two and three of Emily in Paris, movie offers are now rolling in – and Lucien is even tipped to replace Daniel Craig as James Bond.
The actor credits his family for his speedy rise to the top – and his “110% blind belief” in himself. He told the About Effing Time podcast: “I was told growing up – I grew up in quite a racist area – that nothing is going to be possible... this is impossible.
“I count my blessings every single day and think about where I came from – the small terraced house in Burnley with my mum and dad and my two brothers. I decided to go all-in on everything, for better or for worse. I feel like that’s the drive I’ve got.
“I made a promise to myself and I’m going to go all the way on it.”
