What you might not know about the American author
You've likely watched countless movies where actors pretend to be drunk. It's generally assumed that they are merely acting, but that is not always the case. On some occasions, movie stars have arrived on set completely hammered! What's more, it is not always alcohol that causes their impaired behavior...
Intrigued? Click through the gallery to see the stars who have performed under the influence on set.
Numerous instances in 'Pineapple Express' (2008) feature James Franco and Seth Rogen's characters indulging in marijuana consumption. Yet, during breaks in filming, reality mirrored fiction. When filming resumed, both actors were under the influence. Rogen openly admitted, "I can honestly say that we did. Like, we really did it," during an interview with First Showing.
The campfire gathering scene in 'Easy Rider' (1969) is legendary in movie-making history. During filming, Jack Nicholson, Dennis Hopper, and the late Peter Fonda intentionally messed up their lines multiple times to light up another cannabis joint. It's an iconic moment!
The actor's battle with drug addiction has been widely reported. As stated in Ben Falk's 2014 biography, 'Robert Downey Jr.: The Fall and Rise of the Comeback Kid,' during the making of 'Home for the Holidays' (1995), Downey was using black-tar heroin on set. Downey maintains that he has been drug-free since July 2003.
During the filming of 'Leaving Las Vegas' (1995), Nicholas Cage disclosed in an interview with James Lipton that he did not have to exert much effort in the scene where he loses control at the roulette table. Cage revealed, I never drink when I act, but I wanted to incorporate in some scenes actual drinking... So that scene in the casino when I'm freaking out, I'm really drunk."
Pitt describes the state he and Ed Norton were in as "semi-trashed" during the scene in 'Fight Club' (1999) where they hit golf balls into the grounds of an abandoned factory near Tyler Durden's house.
During the making of 'The Blues Brothers' (1980), Dan Aykroyd engaged in excessive drug use, specifically cocaine. However, it was not until a 2012 interview with Vanity Fair that Aykroyd disclosed his past behavior. Unfortunately, John Belushi had already succumbed to his destructive path.
"I am not drinking on your film," Burton informed director Andrew Sinclair during the shooting of 'Under Milk Wood' (1972). "That means only one bottle of vodka a day. I'm sober on two, but when I'm drinking, it is three or more." Eventually, alcohol triumphed over Burton. The movie, which also featured Elizabeth Taylor and Peter O'Toole (who both had issues with alcohol), has gained a cult following amongst enthusiasts. Sadly, all the actors involved have passed away.
Carrie Fisher, who sadly passed away in 2016, acknowledged that she and her co-star Harrison Ford were intoxicated while filming 'The Empire Strikes Back' in 1980. Prior to that, they had a wild night out with the Rolling Stones. In an interview with the Daily Beast, Fisher confessed, "We never went to sleep, so we weren't hungover—we were still drunk when we arrived in Cloud City the next day."
It may come as no shock that all members of the Fab Four were quite intoxicated while shooting the Alps scene in 'Help' (1965). That same year, they discreetly smoked in the restrooms at Buckingham Palace before receiving the Order of the British Empire from Queen Elizabeth II.
Olivia Wilde's character in the 2013 film 'Drinking Buddies' can be observed enjoying real beer in an authentic brewery alongside her companions. The actress humorously remarked that the cast was "hammered the entire movie."
In 2012, the actor known for his role in 'Harry Potter' confessed to struggling with alcohol and being intoxicated during filming after drinking excessively the previous night. "I can point to many scenes where I’m just gone," he revealed. "Dead behind the eyes.”
In an interview in 2019, Billy finally admitted to being heavily intoxicated while filming the mall scene for 'Bad Santa' in 2003. He confessed, "I drank about three glasses of red wine for breakfast... Then I switched over to vodka and cranberry juice, and then I had a few Bud Lights. By the time I got to that scene there, I barely knew I was in a movie."
Bullock and Kidman co-starred as sorceress siblings in the film 'Practical Magic' (1998). Bullock revealed in the DVD commentary that during a scene where they get drunk with their aunts, they both chugged real tequila!
Oliver Reed had a well known reputation for his problematic drinking habits. During the making of Ken Russell's 'Women in Love' (1969), there was an infamous scene where Reed and co-star Alan Bates engaged in naked wrestling. "I had to get drunk before I exposed myself on camera," Reed explained, after turning up to the shoot drunk and proceeding to get his co-star drunk too. Sadly, Reed, Bates, and Russell have all already passed.
In her breakthrough performance in Martin Scorsese's 'The Wolf of Wall Street' (2013), Margot Robbie had to film an intimate scene with Leonardo DiCaprio. To ease her nerves, she revealed that she drank three shots of tequila beforehand.
In 1993, Leguizamo and the late Hoskins collaborated on the film 'Super Mario Bros.' Sadly, it proved to be a less than pleasant experience for both the cast and crew. Rumor has it that Leguizamo and Hoskins sought solace in a bottle of scotch to cope with their frustrations. Understandably, the movie is widely considered to be one of the worst ever made.
Why is the late Fred Astaire, a sophisticated and charming actor, included on this list? Take a look at the iconic dance scene from 'Holiday Inn' (1942). There were rumors that Astaire had enjoyed two shots of bourbon before filming. And before each take, he would drink another shot! Thankfully, this film is most famous for Bing Crosby's timeless performance of 'White Christmas.'
According to the Hollywood Reporter, in order to prepare for an intimate scene in the psychological thriller 'Black Swan' (2010), Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis drank a full bottle of tequila.
During the filming of 'The Hunger Games: Catching Fire' in 2013, Jennifer Lawrence confessed to David Letterman that she and some of her co-stars enjoyed a couple of piña coladas during breaks. However, this indulgence didn't seem to affect her aim!
Woody Harrelson, a well-known advocate of marijuana, chose to have alcohol instead for a specific role in the movie 'Indecent Proposal' (1993). In an interview, he mentioned that he got heavily intoxicated as it was necessary for his character portrayal. However, Harrelson admitted that the experience was not enjoyable for him.
During the filming of 'Lawless' in 2012, Shia LaBeouf incorporated moonshine into his acting process. In the subsequent year, Rupert Grint, LaBeouf's co-star in 'Charlie Countryman,' alleged that the actor had genuinely used LSD.
The rapper confessed to taking the prescription sleep aid Ambien (zolpidem) while working on the film '8 Mile' (2002) to combat a long 16-hour workday.
During the production of the crime comedy 'The Big Easy' (1986), Dennis Quaid was reportedly under the influence of drugs. In an interview with Newsweek in 2011, he candidly confessed to battling cocaine addiction in the 1980s.
During breaks, the late Robert Shaw, known for his role as Quint in 'Jaws' (1975), would engage in excessive drinking. In a particular scene, he delivers a memorable drunken speech (the well-known USS Indianapolis recollection) to characters Brody (the late Roy Scheider) and Hooper (Richard Dreyfuss). However, what viewers see is actually a reshoot. Shaw was so drunk during the first take that he completely lost consciousness.
In 'The Rum Diary' (2011), Johnny Depp's character consumes large quantities of alcohol, which, according to reports, the actor also did in order to prepare for the role. Director Bruce Robinson provided a bottle of alcohol for Depp on set, and Robinson even fell off the wagon after six years of sobriety during the shoot.
In the film 'True Romance' (1993), there is a scene where Michael Rapaport's character attempts to do a drug deal with Clarence (Christian Slater) while riding a roller coaster. It is said that Rapaport was incredibly scared during this scene so he took a bunch of Quaaludes (a sedative now discontinued in the US) and couldn't say his lines.
The initial release of 'Can't Hardly Wait' (1998) portrayed underage drinking and drug usage at an unsupervised gathering. However, the movie underwent subsequent editing. Ethan Embry, one of the actors in the film, openly confessed to being under the influence during the filming process and jokingly referred to himself as "the world's biggest stoner."
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Actors who admitted to be under influence while filming
Could you guess they were buzzed?
CELEBRITY Curiosities
You've likely watched countless movies where actors pretend to be drunk. It's generally assumed that they are merely acting, but that is not always the case. On some occasions, movie stars have arrived on set completely hammered! What's more, it is not always alcohol that causes their impaired behavior...
Intrigued? Click through the gallery to see the stars who have performed under the influence on set.