Hollywood Actors Who Refused To Kiss Their Co-stars On Screen

Reese Witherspoon and Rob Pattinson

In Water for Elephants, Reese Witherspoon and Rob Pattinson shared a passionate on-screen kiss, but Reese later admitted it was far from dreamy. Rob was battling a nasty cold during filming, making the love scene more cringeworthy than romantic.

Tisha Campbell and Martin Lawrence

By the fifth season of Martin, things had gone from sitcom sparkle to serious tension. Tisha Campbell outright refused to kiss Martin Lawrence or even film scenes with him after filing sexual harassment charges against her co-star.

Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett

In The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Brad Pitt initially refused to kiss Cate Blanchett. Rumors swirled that it was out of respect for then-wife Angelina Jolie, as their marriage was hitting rocky times. Eventually, the director persuaded Pitt to film just one kiss scene.

Candace Cameron and Anyone

Candace Cameron has had plenty of on-screen kisses in her career, but lately she’s over it. Now, she only wants to kiss her husband. Admitting that filming Hallmark movies with a new love interest each time makes her uncomfortable, she said, “I don’t want to keep doing this!”

Denzel Washington and Julia Roberts

While filming The Pelican Brief, Julia Roberts was hurt to learn that Denzel Washington didn’t want to kiss her. Washington explained it wasn’t personal; he simply wasn’t sure how African American women would feel about him kissing a white woman on screen.

Kirsten Dunst and Brad Pitt

At just 11 years old, while filming Interview with the Vampire, Kirsten Dunst had to kiss Brad Pitt, and she hated it. Kissing a grown man was far from magical, and the experience left such an impression that she didn’t kiss anyone again for another four years.

Julia Roberts and Nick Nolte

While filming I Love Trouble, Julia Roberts wasn’t exactly thrilled about kissing Nick Nolte. Off-camera tensions between the two made things awkward, though they did manage to share one kissing scene together.

Leona Lewis and Chace Crawford

Before she was a global pop sensation, Leona Lewis was the girl with powerhouse vocals who stunned the world on The X Factor. She had the looks, the voice, and the whole “next big diva” energy. But when fame put her in front of Hollywood’s golden boy, Chace Crawford, for her “I Will Be” music video, Leona made a move no one saw coming; she turned down a kiss. Out of respect for her then-boyfriend, Lou Al-Chamaa, Leona drew the line, proving she wasn’t about to trade real love for on-screen heat.

Thandie Newton and Gerard Butler

During RocknRolla, Thandie Newton refused to kiss Gerard Butler, not because of his looks, but because he had a cold. Handsome or not, she wasn’t about to risk her health for the scene.

Neal McDonough and Virginia Madsen

When filming Scoundrels, Neal McDonough flat-out refused to do love scenes with Virginia Madsen. He stood his ground so firmly that he lost the role and was replaced by David James Elliott. Still, McDonough stuck to his values.

Vanessa Hudgens and James Franco

While filming Spring Breakers, Vanessa Hudgens admitted she hated kissing James Franco. Calling the experience “nerve-racking,” she even told her agent she never wanted to do it again.

Jewel and Rob Lowe

When it came time to kiss Rob Lowe, Jewel wasn’t exactly excited. She admitted she “didn’t know where his mouth had been” and refused at first, though the director eventually convinced her to go through with the scene.

Janet Jackson and Tupac

On the set of Poetic Justice, sparks flew between Janet Jackson and Tupac, but Janet wasn’t so quick to lean into the romance. Worried about Tupac’s Casanova reputation and the uncertainty around AIDS at the time, she hesitated when it came to filming kissing scenes.

Luke Grimes and Nelsan Ellis

On True Blood, Luke Grimes drew the line when writers paired his character with Nelsan Ellis’s. Unwilling to kiss a man, he quit the show altogether rather than go through with the storyline.

Liam Hemsworth and Jennifer Lawrence

On the set of Mockingjay, Jennifer Lawrence turned kissing scenes with Liam Hemsworth into a prank. She’d eat garlic or tuna beforehand, making the moments hilariously awkward and leaving both friends less than eager to lock lips.

Herizen F. Guardiola and Justice Smith

While filming The Get Down, Herizen F. Guardiola admitted she didn’t want to kiss Justice Smith. “I didn’t know him. I don’t just kiss people I don’t know,” she explained, though Justice himself felt very differently about it.

Samuel L. Jackson and Anyone

While filming Cell, Samuel L. Jackson discovered his character was written as gay, something he hadn’t known when signing on. He stood firm about not kissing any men for the role, and ultimately, he got his way.

Justin Bieber and a Backup Dancer

Justin Bieber was set to star in Uber Girl, but he lost the role over one sticking point: a scripted love scene with a male backup dancer. Bieber refused to go through with it, and when the director wouldn’t cut the scene, he walked away from the project.

Nina Dobrev and Ian Somerhalder

After their real-life breakup, Nina Dobrev and Ian Somerhalder mutually refused to kiss each other on the set of The Vampire Diaries. Though they’ve stayed friends, things were undeniably awkward, especially with Somerhalder now married to actress Nikki Reed.

Alyson Hannigan and Jason Segel

On How I Met Your Mother, Alyson Hannigan refused to kiss Jason Segel because of his cigarette habit. He even offered to pay her $10 for each one he smoked, but it quickly added up, which is why Lily and Marshall don’t share as many kisses as fans might expect.

Jennifer Lawrence and Chris Pratt

While filming Passengers, Jennifer Lawrence struggled with the idea of kissing Chris Pratt since he was still married to Anna Faris at the time. Feeling guilty, she admitted she had to get very drunk before shooting their love scene.

Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio

When reuniting for Revolutionary Road, Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio deliberately avoided too many kissing scenes. Wanting to steer clear of repeating the iconic romance of Titanic, they kept the on-screen affection to a minimum.

Lindsay Lohan and Charlie Sheen

While filming Scary Movie 5, Lindsay Lohan drew the line at kissing Charlie Sheen. She flat-out refused, leading the crew to bring in a body double to shoot the scene instead. The decision sparked plenty of buzz, but Lindsay didn’t miss a beat.

Pat Boone and Shirley Jones

While filming April Love, Pat Boone refused to kiss Shirley Jones. Having never done a romantic scene before, he didn’t want to disrespect his wife and made sure to consult her before any decision about the kiss was made.

Sadie Sink and Caleb McLaughlin

On Stranger Things, Sadie Sink was shocked to learn she had to kiss Caleb McLaughlin. The director added the moment at the last minute, and it turned out to be her very first on-screen kiss, something she only discovered when she arrived on set that morning.