Buzz
From the historic first onscreen kiss featuring May Irwin and John Rice, captured by William Heise for Thomas Edison in 1896, to the countless romantic moments immortalized in film and television, kisses have become a staple across all genres. Dive into 10 intriguing behind-the-scenes facts about some of the most unforgettable kisses in cinematic history.
10. Scarlett and Rhett’s First Kiss in Gone with the Wind (1939)
While many envied Vivian Leigh for sharing a kiss with Clark Gable in Gone with the Wind, the experience was far from enjoyable for her. Leigh reportedly complained about Gable’s dentures, which had a strong odor. His bad breath was further exacerbated by gum disease and his heavy smoking habit.
Clark Gable isn’t the only actor whose breath made onscreen kisses difficult. Liam Hemsworth once revealed that kissing Jennifer Lawrence in The Hunger Games was “pretty uncomfortable” because she often ate garlic or tuna before their scenes. Lawrence later clarified, “It wasn’t on purpose. I just ate what I wanted, and then we’d have to kiss!”
9. The Short but Memorable Kiss in The Princess Bride (1987)
“Since the dawn of kissing, only five kisses have been deemed the most passionate and pure. This one surpassed them all.” This is how Grandpa (Peter Falk) in The Princess Bride describes the climactic kiss between Buttercup (Robin Wright) and Westley (Cary Elwes). Although director Rob Reiner was satisfied with the first take, Wright and Elwes insisted on multiple retakes to perfect the moment.
Reiner ended up filming six takes, but not because of any romantic tension between the actors. In a 2014 interview with the Daily Beast, Elwes likened kissing Wright to “kissing your sister—it’s strange.” In his memoir, As You Wish (2014), he added that they were “so lighthearted that we couldn’t stop laughing like kids.” This kiss marked the end of filming, and Elwes admitted, “I could have filmed that scene all day because I didn’t want the movie to end.”
8. The Unscripted Kiss in Lost in Translation (2003)
The finale of Lost in Translation features Bob (Bill Murray) bidding farewell to Charlotte (Scarlett Johansson) with a whispered secret and a kiss. True to his improvisational nature, Murray came up with the kiss on the spot. Director Sofia Coppola shared with the Daily Beast that the scene was intended to be “a heartfelt goodbye, acknowledging the profound impact they had on each other. Murray often surprised Johansson, and her genuine reactions added to the magic.”
The kiss wasn’t the only spontaneous moment; whatever Bill whispered to Scarlett was also unscripted. “That line Bill whispered was never meant to be anything specific,” Coppola revealed to IndieWire in 2018. “I planned to decide on the words later and add them in post-production, but we never did.” Despite this, fans remain endlessly curious. “People always ask me what he said. I prefer Bill’s response: it’s a secret between lovers—so I’ll leave it at that.”
7. The Missing Final Kiss in When Harry Met Sally (1989)
Directed by Rob Reiner and penned by Nora Ephron, When Harry Met Sally initially had a far less romantic conclusion. “We originally had a scene where time passes, they bump into each other on the street… and then they walk away in opposite directions,” Reiner shared with Entertainment Weekly in 2019. “After being single for a decade following a 10-year marriage, I couldn’t envision how love could work again.”
However, during filming, Reiner met Michele Singer, who would become his wife. “I fell in love, and suddenly, I understood how it could work,” he explained on The Late Late Show. The ending was reimagined, with Harry (Billy Crystal) attending a New Year’s Eve party to confess his love to Sally (Meg Ryan), culminating in a belated New Year’s kiss. Crystal even improvised the film’s most memorable line: “When you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with someone, you want the rest of your life to begin immediately.”
6. Jack and Rose’s Carefully Choreographed Kiss in Titanic (1997)
Jack (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Rose (Kate Winslet), the ill-fated lovers in Titanic, share several kisses throughout the film. However, none are as unforgettable as their sunset kiss on the ship’s bow. Director James Cameron recognized the significance of this moment and meticulously planned every detail during rehearsals.
“I drew little lips on my hands to demonstrate exactly how the kiss should unfold—who would lead and who would lean in,” Cameron explained to GQ. He likened it to “a football play for lips,” but the one element he couldn’t control was the sunset. It wasn’t until the final day of exterior shooting that the clouds cleared, allowing the perfect backdrop. “I’ve never experienced anything like this before or since,” Cameron recalled. “Kate climbed up, saw the sunset, turned to me, and yelled, ‘Shoot!’”
They captured two takes, but one was entirely out of focus. The other, though partially blurred, made it into the final cut. While the sunset was real, cinematographer Russell Carpenter revealed that time constraints forced some close-ups to be filmed indoors against a painted backdrop.
5. The Iconic Upside-Down Kiss in Spider-Man (2002)
The rain-drenched upside-down kiss between Spider-Man (Tobey Maguire) and Mary Jane (Kirsten Dunst) in Sam Raimi’s 2002 Spider-Man remains one of the most memorable moments in superhero cinema. While Dunst didn’t mind the cold rain, Maguire found the experience “torturous.”
“Rain was pouring down my nose,” Maguire recalled. “Kirsten pulled the mask up to my nose, blocking my airway, so I couldn’t breathe. Then she kissed me, sealing off the only other air passage. There was literally no way to breathe.” While the kiss appears romantic on screen, Maguire admitted he was “nearly suffocating” and had to gasp for air every time the director yelled cut.
4. A Kiss So Intense It Nearly Broke Noses in Brokeback Mountain (2005)
Tobey Maguire isn’t the only actor who endured a challenging kissing scene. The relationship between Jack Twist (Jake Gyllenhaal) and Ennis Del Mar (Heath Ledger) in Brokeback Mountain is far from the typical romantic portrayal, and their aggressive kissing style mirrors this. Director Ang Lee revealed that the two actors “almost broke each other’s noses” after he urged them to kiss with intensity, saying, “You could never kiss a woman that hard, so give me the most rugged western kiss.”
Gyllenhaal also shared his experience of the physically demanding scene: “He grabs me, slams me against the wall, and kisses me. Then I grab him, slam him against the wall, and kiss him. We did take after take, and I ended up completely battered. Even in our fight scenes, I didn’t feel as beaten up as I did after that kiss.”
3. The Controversial Kiss in The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
Before the revelation in Return of the Jedi (1983) that Luke and Leia are siblings, they shared a kiss in The Empire Strikes Back. While the kiss is portrayed as Leia’s attempt to provoke Han’s jealousy rather than an expression of genuine desire, earlier versions of the film hinted at a stronger romantic connection. The original script for Episode V included Luke confessing his love for Leia, and the second draft had Leia reciprocating before ultimately choosing Han.
This love triangle was even more pronounced during filming. A deleted scene, occurring just before the infirmary kiss that made the final cut, shows Luke and Leia nearly kissing. Luke struggles to express his feelings and leans in for a kiss, but they are interrupted by R2-D2 and C-3PO before their lips meet. Fortunately, these overt romantic moments were removed, making the later revelation of their sibling relationship less uncomfortable.
2. The Iconic Spaghetti Kiss in Lady and the Tramp (1955)
The scene where Lady and Tramp share a strand of spaghetti, leading to an accidental kiss, has been reenacted by countless couples. Despite its legendary status, Walt Disney initially considered cutting this scene during the storyboarding phase.
“Walt wasn’t sure the scene would come across as elegant,” Steven Vagnini, Disney archivist and D23 curator, told Yahoo Movies. “Imagine two dogs eating spaghetti—it’s not exactly the most graceful image.”
Animator Frank Thomas disagreed with Disney’s initial decision and created concept art to demonstrate how the spaghetti kiss could be endearing. Fortunately, Disney was persuaded. This scene became the first project for newly hired animator Willie Ito. “I had no idea the scene I worked on would become such a timeless moment,” he remarked in 2018.
1. The Audition Kiss in Sixteen Candles (1984)
John Hughes wrote Sixteen Candles specifically for Molly Ringwald to play Sam, but the role of her love interest, Jake, was undecided. The final choice came down to Michael Shoeffling, who ultimately got the part, and Viggo Mortensen, who later starred in Lord of the Rings. Ringwald recalled, “Michael Shoeffling didn’t kiss me during the audition—Viggo Mortensen did.” She admitted, “Viggo made me weak in the knees,” and had hoped he would land the role.
Years later, Ringwald and Mortensen reunited on the set of Fresh Horses (1988) and discussed the audition. “I mentioned how he kissed me, and the other guy didn’t,” Ringwald shared. Mortensen responded, “I always thought that’s why I lost the part!” However, casting director Jackie Burch clarified it wasn’t the kiss that cost him the role: “I told him, ‘I hear an accent.’ He was very quiet, trying to hide it. I just didn’t think he was the right fit.”
