Romance, chemistry between two characters, and dramatic tension are Hollywood’s biggest trump cards, but behind the camera, things are not always so perfect. Sometimes actors are asked to kiss their co-stars, and things get complicated. The reasons vary, from someone being a real stinker to having to make out with your ex. Whatever it is, it’s always very awkward.
1. Alyson Hannigan and Jason Segel
On HIMYM, Lily and Marshall were the ideal couple, who, even in their darkest time, still managed to save the relationship. Naturally, Hannigan and Segel were friends in real life, too, but there was one major problem: Jason smoked like Thomas the Tank Engine. According to Hannigan, kissing him was like kissing an ashtray. Even gum didn’t help. Segel knew it was an issue and even agreed to a little anti-smoking bet, owing Hannigan money every time he lit up. He quit for a while, but due to stress, the bad habit kept coming back.
2. Jennifer Lawrence and Chris Pratt
Jennifer Lawrence had a rough time filming her first major intimate scene in Passengers with Chris Pratt. But don’t worry, she assured everyone that he was not the problem and that everyone on set was acting like true professionals. It just felt deeply uncomfortable. Lawrence said the scene was strangely vulnerable and emotionally confusing, especially because Pratt was married at the time. She knew it was acting, but that did not stop her from feeling guilty and awkward.
3. Penn Badgley and Blake Lively
Badgley and Lively’s kisses looked awkward on Gossip Girl because they had a history. The actors dated in real life, broke up, and still had to play a flip-floppy couple on the show. He later listed the best and worst on-screen kisses of his career, and guess what? They were both with Blake Lively. One was when they were dating, and one was after the breakup. But, you know, being real professionals, they overcame that hurdle. Thankfully, the show continued, and the drama stayed mostly on-screen.
4. Neal McDonough and Virginia Madsen
Neal McDonough has been very open about one rule in his acting career: no kissing or any other intimate scenes unless it’s with his lovely wife. That became a major issue when he was cast opposite Virginia Madsen in the ABC drama Scoundrels. Only a few days into filming, the producers had to replace him for that very reason. McDonough later explained that playing violence on-screen feels fake to him, but intimate scenes feel too real. It has reportedly cost him work, but he has stuck to that boundary.
5. Denzel Washington and Julia Roberts
Julia Roberts and Denzel Washington had amazing chemistry in The Pelican Brief, but oddly enough, they never actually kissed despite their characters’ romantic relationship. Roberts later said she absolutely would have kissed Washington and joked that it was his idea to cut the scenes. Washington’s reasoning was more serious. After getting hate messages from Black female viewers over an interracial kiss in a different movie, he decided to be very selective about his romantic scenes. He explained that Black women were rarely shown as objects of desire in film, and they were his core audience.
6. Lindsay Lohan and Charlie Sheen
During Scary Movie 5, Lindsay Lohan refused to kiss Charlie Sheen because she didn’t want to be connected to his very wild reputation. The production allegedly tried to make the scene happen anyway, but they had to use a body double for some of the kissing shots. The funny part is that Sheen apparently did not take it personally and even helped Lohan financially when she was dealing with tax problems.
7. Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner
For Twilight fans, the big debate was always Team Edward versus Team Jacob. For Kristen Stewart, though, it wasn’t really even a question. Kissing Lautner as Jacob felt strange because Bella had been with Edward for most of the story. Stewart said her intimate scenes with the wolfman felt weird and forced. It probably did not help that Stewart and Pattinson were dating at the time, which made the Edward scenes feel more natural.
8. Dane Cook and Kate Hudson
Dane Cook did not hold back when asked about his worst on-screen kiss. Without a moment of hesitation, his mind went to smooching Kate Hudson in My Best Friend’s Girl. According to Cook, Hudson’s breath smelled like a “feast of onions,” which is not ideal for an intimate moment. Who knows if that was an accident, a prank, or some sort of revenge, but if anything, it was quite unforgettable. Considering Cook’s comedy style at the time was not exactly known for being delicate, some people wondered if Hudson was simply messing with him.
9. Rupert Grint and Emma Watson
Hermione and Ron Weasley’s kiss in The Deathly Hallows: Part 2 was a huge moment for the entire fandom, but for Grint and Watson, it was nothing short of an awkward nightmare. Rupert said he had known Emma since they were kids, so kissing her felt very surreal. They grew up together with a sibling-like dynamic, which made the scene wildly uncomfortable. They did not rehearse it much, and Grint said one take was enough. After spending a decade together as childhood co-stars, romance was the last thing on their minds.