WORST KISSERS IN HOLLYWOOD
Actors are great at pretending — it’s literally their job. But just because a kiss looks steamy on screen doesn’t mean it felt that way in real life. Sometimes, those romantic movie scenes are far from passionate. In fact, some of your favorite stars — the ones you think are pros at on-screen chemistry — have been called out for being bad kissers behind the scenes.That’s right. Camera angles, editing, and lighting can make anything look magical, even if the actors felt awkward or uncomfortable during filming. It’s one of Hollywood’s best-kept secrets!
When Romantic Movie Kisses Go Wrong
While actors like Heath Ledger, Blake Lively, Chris Pratt, and Angelina Jolie are known for their on-screen charm and passionate kiss scenes, not every star gets the same praise.
In fact, some celebrities have been criticized by co-stars for their awkward kissing skills, bad breath, or lack of connection. Yes, even in a billion-dollar film, things can get weird. And with all that money and fame, you’d think someone would bring an Altoid or two. (Pro tip for stars: mints are sold at every CVS!)
Anyone for some of Jennifer Lawrence’s tuna kisses?
Jennifer Lawrence, a top name in Hollywood and an Academy Award-winning actress, has shared on-screen kisses with many big celebrities throughout her career. She’s even been nominated multiple times for Best Kiss at the MTV Movie Awards, winning once for her role in Silver Linings Playbook. But those kisses, praised by fans and media alike, were just acting in romantic movie scenes — because behind the camera, Lawrence admits she didn’t make it easy for her co-stars.
During an interview on The Graham Norton Show (via Daily Mail), Lawrence revealed that her Hunger Games co-stars, Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth, had a tough time during those romantic scenes. “I was like, ‘Who cares?’ and I’d eat mustard and tuna,” she confessed — making it one of the most talked-about awkward celebrity kissing moments in entertainment news. Hemsworth definitely remembered the experience. On The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, he revealed, “Anytime I had to kiss Jennifer was pretty uncomfortable … If we had a kissing scene, she would make a point of eating garlic or tuna fish … something that was disgusting.”
While Hutcherson hasn’t mentioned anything about bad breath on set, he did say Jennifer’s kissing was a little too much. During a panel at San Diego Comic-Con (via MTV), he shared, “In the resuscitation there was a kiss and there was slobber, and the slobber sort of got connected to my face.” Even Lawrence agreed that it wasn’t her finest kissing moment. She admitted there was snot coming out of her nose, and it ended up in Hutcherson’s mouth — a pretty gross and unforgettable on-screen romance fail.
Kissing Robert Pattinson: A Romantic Fantasy or a Cold Reality?
For a while, Robert Pattinson was the vampire heartthrob everyone dreamed of kissing — thanks to his role in Twilight, one of the biggest romantic movie franchises in Hollywood. Fans loved his passionate scenes with Kristen Stewart, but behind the scenes, things were different. During the filming of Water for Elephants, co-star Reese Witherspoon shared some surprising details that quickly became hot celebrity gossip. Apparently, kissing Pattinson wasn’t so dreamy — especially when he was sick.
In an exclusive interview with InTouch, Witherspoon revealed that kissing Robert Pattinson was far from romantic. “Rob possibly had the most hideous horrible cold of any co-star I’ve ever had to do a love scene with ever in my entire life,” she said. “He was literally snorting and snotting through every second of it — and it was not appealing. I’m talking green, infectious, disgusting — I’m not kidding!” It became one of the most talked-about awkward Hollywood kissing scenes in recent memory.
Even vampires can’t escape human germs. While Twilight fans might imagine kissing Pattinson as a dream come true, in real life, sharing a kiss with a sick person can be just plain gross. To his credit, Pattinson seems aware of his reputation. According to Metro, the star once admitted to being a “really bad kisser” long before his Water for Elephants days — a rare dose of celebrity honesty. Still, that didn’t damage his bond with Witherspoon. As reported by The Telegraph, their friendship remained strong, and he even moved in with her during the public fallout with Kristen Stewart, showing how deep their Hollywood friendship really was.
James Franco’s Kissing Skills? Just “Meh,” According to Co-Stars
Can anyone really blame Vanessa Hudgens for not being thrilled about kissing James Franco during the filming of Spring Breakers? His character looked like a low-budget version of rapper Riff Raff — if Riff Raff wasn’t already known for his wild style. According to Vice, Franco’s character was actually based on a little-known Florida man named Dangeruss, feeding right into those classic Florida man stereotypes. And let’s be honest — Hudgens was used to kissing her High School Musical co-star Zac Efron. That’s a tough act to follow in any celebrity romance scene.
While Spring Breakers was a big hit with fans — especially because it showed Selena Gomez and Vanessa Hudgens moving away from their Disney image — Franco’s kissing didn’t impress behind the scenes. As reported by The Queensland Times, Hudgens admitted she would have preferred kissing her co-star Ashley Benson instead. She even told Glow (via Just Jared) that after shooting the three-way kissing scene with Franco, she told her agent, “I never want to do it ever again.” That made headlines in the world of Hollywood gossip and awkward movie moments.
Hudgens wasn’t the only one who felt this way. On Watch What Happens Live, Franco’s Why Him? co-star Zoey Deutch shared her honest thoughts about kissing him. She said his kissing was just “meh” and “very” not memorable — not what you’d expect from a leading man in romantic comedies. She also claimed that his breath wasn’t pleasant, adding to the list of celebrity bad kissing experiences. Sorry, James!
Shailene Woodley’s ‘natural lifestyle’ totally killed the mood
Shailene Woodley, often compared to Gwyneth Paltrow for her unusual wellness tips, has made headlines with her natural health habits. Known for eating wild plants and making her own toothpaste, Woodley may also be remembered for something else — awkward kissing scenes. According to her Divergent co-star Miles Teller, her breath wasn’t the most pleasant during their on-screen romance moments.
Teller told Vulture that Woodley would take Chinese herbal supplements right before their kissing scenes, and they had a horrible taste. “She would take these herbal supplements, and they tasted like c**p,” he said. “And she would always eat them right before we had a kissing scene! We put stuff in our mouths so we could just offend each other.” It quickly became one of those unforgettable Hollywood behind-the-scenes stories.
Woodley also had her preferences. Teller said she complained when he drank Gatorade before filming, even though staying hydrated is essential. But maybe the artificial flavors and sweeteners didn’t sit well with someone who eats clay and natural earth-based foods. Woodley confirmed the awkward exchange in the same Vulture interview: “We’d have to kiss in a scene, and he’d be like, ‘Shay, you just ate dirt.’ And I’d be like, ‘Miles, you just ate licorice.’ It was just this ongoing back-and-forth.” Still, eating clay sounds more like literal dirt — and licorice, at least, is real food.
Actresses agree: Kissing Harrison Ford is not great
At least Han Solo didn’t kiss his sister like Luke Skywalker, but when it comes to Harrison Ford’s kissing skills, Hollywood actresses aren’t impressed. Surprisingly, despite Ford’s long and successful dating history — including his marriage to Calista Flockhart, star of Ally McBeal — he’s still known in celebrity gossip circles as not being the best kisser. You’d think it would take amazing chemistry to win over such a popular star, but it seems his on-screen romance skills didn’t always match his charm.
In a 1997 BBC radio interview (via Chicago Tribune), Ford’s The Mosquito Coast co-star Helen Mirren openly criticized his kissing abilities, despite calling him “the nicest, sweetest guy you could want to meet.” Her remarks added to the growing list of awkward celebrity kissing stories. She said, “He can’t kiss — he finds it impossible to kiss on screen.” Mirren even went further, suggesting Ford might not be much better off-screen. “It’s not just me — other actresses agree. Whenever we get chatting off screen and we get around to talking, we come to the same conclusion: ‘He couldn’t do it with me either!’ He does try, but it is just not there.”
If that doesn’t feel like a lightsaber to Anakin’s arm, we don’t know what does. Still, it’s one of those rare and honest moments in Hollywood relationship interviews that fans can’t stop talking about.
Julia Roberts’ mouth might be too big for on-screen kisses
Julia Roberts’ smile is one of the most iconic in Hollywood — often compared to the Mona Lisa’s, which is fitting since she starred in Mona Lisa Smile in 2003. But when it comes to on-screen kissing scenes, her famously wide mouth has reportedly made things awkward — at least according to Hugh Grant.
The charming British actor has been open about how much he disliked kissing Julia Roberts during the filming of Notting Hill. In a 2014 appearance on the Chatty Man Show (via Daily Mail), Grant joked, “It’s a big mouth. I was aware of a faint echo when I was kissing her.” He echoed the same thoughts the next year on Watch What Happens Live, saying her large mouth made the scene difficult. The remarks have since become a popular topic in celebrity gossip and awkward Hollywood kiss stories.
Realistically, this might be more about Grant’s dating preferences than Roberts’ acting. While she famously played a sex worker in Pretty Woman, she’s not one in real life — and Grant has had some well-known real-life controversies in that area. It’s just another strange example of Hollywood kissing scene drama that fans love to revisit.
Kate Hudson might want to skip the onions before kissing scenes
Kate Hudson, who once shared a romantic kiss with Heath Ledger, seems like she’d be a great kisser by association. She’s also had on-screen kisses with stars like Mark Wahlberg in Deepwater Horizon and Liv Tyler in Dr. T and the Women. But despite her A-list experience, her kissing skills have been questioned. According to her My Best Friend’s Girl co-star Dane Cook, the problem wasn’t technique — it was her bad breath during filming.
During a 2014 episode of Watch What Happens Live, Cook didn’t hold back. He revealed that Hudson’s breath was terrible during their kiss, saying, “I think she purposely ate a feast of onions right before our scene. I had to burn her on that one.” This became one of the more talked-about awkward Hollywood kissing moments in celebrity interviews. The comment came from a comedian who claims to have slept with “a few hundred” groupies in his younger days — whether that makes him an expert or not is up for debate, but it definitely made headlines in celebrity gossip and entertainment news.
Kissing Woody Allen feels like kissing the Berlin Wall
Let’s be honest — most people don’t look at Woody Allen and think, “Now there’s someone with amazing kissing skills.” While he’s known for directing critically acclaimed films, he’s never exactly been seen as a symbol of romance or physical chemistry. On top of that, Allen has faced serious sexual misconduct allegations from his adoptive daughter, Dylan Farrow, which he has strongly denied. Regardless of the legal controversies, several actresses who’ve worked with Allen have spoken out about how uncomfortable it was to film kissing scenes with him.
According to The Telegraph, Allen’s Mighty Aphrodite co-star Helena Bonham Carter was very honest about the awkwardness of their on-screen kiss. She said that Allen was very strict and controlling during their scene. “In a kissing scene with Woody, he says up front what he does not want,” she explained. “No exchange of liquid is permitted. Absolutely no tongue encounter. His mouth is a no-go area. And he makes no effort at all. It is like kissing the Berlin Wall.” Her description quickly became one of the most memorable quotes in Hollywood kissing scene gossip.
Mariel Hemingway also had a difficult time with her 1979 Manhattan kissing scene with Allen. According to W Magazine, Hemingway was just 16 years old at the time. In a 2010 interview with The New Cinema Magazine (via Vanity Fair), she shared that the idea of kissing Allen made her nervous for weeks. When the scene finally happened, she said he “attacked [her] like [she] was a linebacker.” Luckily, she only had to go through the scene once to get the perfect shot — but it still remains one of the most talked-about uncomfortable kissing scenes in film history.
If you wanna be Posh’s lover, you gotta get past the kiss
If any Spice Girl seemed like she’d be great at kissing, it had to be Posh Spice — Victoria Beckham herself. We’d guess Scary Spice as a fun second choice, because the word “crazy” with a kiss sounds thrilling. In our unofficial ranking, Baby Spice and Sporty Spice come next, with Ginger Spice last — mainly because she left the group early. That kind of exit could suggest intimacy issues, or more likely, a VH1 Behind The Music-style feud (Ginger did later admit she was just “being a brat”).
But it turns out we were wrong. Despite kissing David Beckham, one of the hottest celebrity husbands alive (as proven by his H&M underwear campaign), Victoria might need to improve her skills — at least according to actor Corey Haim, who claimed to have dated her in 1995. In an interview with The Sun (via Irish Examiner), Haim said, “When she kisses she does this little grrhh thing. What did it feel like? Like a girl gnawing on your lip!” That description quickly made rounds in celebrity dating news and awkward kissing moments in Hollywood. Still, if Becks is into it, maybe there’s something we’re all missing.
