Scrolling through some Youtube comments, I spotted someone linking to this
video
It's the press conference for the movie The Nice Guys (2016). At 10:40 a German journalist tells Russell Crowe: "The chemistry you have together in this movie is purely amazing. I don't know if I should say this, but it reminded me of Bud Spencer and Terence Hill in a weird way".
As soon as Russell Crowe hears their names his face lights up and he says: "Dude, now you're talking! That's a really flattering compliment. Thank you very much", then he turns and comments: "That's cool".
It seems Bud & Terence are popular in New Zealand too and that's how he knows them.