From forced kisses to insults in another language: actors reveal embarrassing situations in auditions

Promoting his newest film, An Idea of ​​Youthe actress Anne Hathaway recalled, in an interview with V Magazinethe old Hollywood audition practices that often put actors in uncomfortable situations.

Anne, who is also a producer on the film, discussed how the industry has changed since she started acting, highlighting a previous practice where she was asked to kiss ten actors as a chemistry test. “This actually happened to me,” she said. “It was considered normal to ask an actor to kiss other actors to test chemistry, which is actually the worst way to do it.”

This experience is not isolated within the industry. Other actors have also shared stories about the challenges they faced during auditions. Check it out below:

Lucy Hale

Jennifer Garner

In an interview on the program The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy FallonJennifer Garner explained that she preferred to wear a single costume when auditioning for a specific role.

After advancing to the fourth round of the process, the actress discovered that her choice of clothing made her stand out, but in a negative way. “We want to bring Jennifer back, but does she have other clothes?” she recalled the casting agent asking her team.

Jake Gyllenhaal

In an interview with Jimmy Fallon’s show, Jake Gyllenhaal revealed a disconcerting experience during an audition, where the absence of clear dialogue left him unsure of how to proceed. The actor explained that there were many stage directions, but no defined dialogue.

“We didn’t really have any lines to perform. It was just something like find the ring, you were supposed to open the thing, and there was the ring,” Gyllenhaal explained. “I remember I couldn’t understand it very well, because there were no lines. So, I just went there, opened it and said, ‘Is this good?’”. The director expressed his dissatisfaction with the audition, going so far as to suggest that the actor “fire” his agents.

Meryl Streep

During an interview at The Graham Norton Show, Meryl Streep shared a defining experience from her career. When remembering the audition for the film King Kong, 1975, the actress revealed that she faced an uncomfortable situation.

Encouraged by producer Dino De Laurentiis’ son to take the test, Meryl, then 26 years old and not yet established in cinema, heard the director express, in Italian, a cruel insult about her appearance: “Why did you bring me that ugly thing? ?”. The comment was described by her as “a very remarkable moment for a young girl.”

Dakota Johnson

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, actress Dakota Johnson also shared an embarrassing experience during an audition. Dakota reported: “I had an audition and I got really involved in the scene, it was very dramatic, I ended up taking my shirt off, but it wasn’t necessary.”

After the episode, she continued, “Afterwards, they said, ‘Uh, that was great. It was really good’, and I said ‘Thank you’, I had to pick up my shirt from the floor, still talk to them and put it back on. It was inappropriate. And it’s also still embarrassing, and I’m more embarrassed for telling this story.”

Millie Bobby Brown

In an interview with the magazine AllureMillie Bobby Brown shared a powerful memory from her childhood, at age 10, when she was rejected by a casting director because she was considered “too mature.”

Before achieving success as Eleven in Stranger Things, from Netflix, Millie revealed how rejection made her doubt herself. “I always knew I was mature and I couldn’t change that,” she said.

Anne Hathaway

In an interview with V Magazine, Anne Hathaway shared a remarkable experience about chemistry tests in films. In the past, it was common for actors to be asked to kiss during these auditions, something she found repugnant.

The actress recalled: “I was told, ‘We have ten guys coming today and you’re cast. Aren’t you excited to kiss them all?’” She found the idea repulsive, but, worried about being labeled “difficult,” she pretended to be excited.