In most cases, the actors do lock their lips to actually kiss many times in films, TV shows, or theatrical shows. Sometimes, the context of the scenes asks for a kiss and the actors have to agree with each other before doing it on the stage or in front of the camera.
If two actors are single or have no problem with each other, then the kiss can be real. But if they are not comfortable, then they can also ask for a body double, fake a kissing scene, or take a CGI team.
How are kissing scenes made?
Kissing scenes and types vary as per the films and the characters. For example, the iconic scene of Kristen Dunst and Tobey Maguire in Spiderman needed different logistics than the kissing scene between Leonardo Di Caprio and Kate Winslet in the Titanic movie.
Everything was different, the kissing style, the magnetism, as well as the rhythm. Let’s talk about these three factors in more detail.
1. Scene tone and rhythm:
The most important thing for two actors to do is to match the kiss with the rhythm and tone of the scene. Your IC (Intimacy coordinator) or director may tell you how the entire scene is to be performed.
They can even leave it up to you and your castmate’s creativity. Always remember the intensity and the timing for the scene to work in your favor.
2. Magnetism:
Always create a magnetism between you and your castmate by puckering your lips, opening your mouth slightly, gradually leaning in, holding each other, and maintaining eye contact. This will increase the chemistry between you two.
3. Kissing style:
Once you figure out the above things, decide whether you want a closed-mouth or an open-mouth kiss. If the kissing scenes call for it, do not involve your tongue because your castmate would not like that idea. If you are having a tender love affair in the film, then let the kiss be drawn-out and delicate.
If the scene calls for a passionate kiss, then give in all your best in a romantic way. Before the scene, do not forget to talk with your castmate so the kiss feels more comfortable and natural.
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How do I prepare for a kissing scene?
Kissing someone on-screen or off-screen can get really complicated. So it is a wise decision to prepare before the actual scene happens. But before that, you need to open up and speak with your real-life partner, good oral hygiene, good rapport with your scene partner, and reading the script carefully will help you for the upcoming kissing scene.
1. Know the story
Before the performance, know the dramatic weight begging the kissing scene to get you and your scene partner in the right mindset.
If you don’t have this knowledge then all your practice will go for a toss. Let’s take an example of “The Notebook” movie where Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams face a lot of problems in their life.
But despite all the hardships and pain, they have a heated argument which later on leads to an iconic rain-drenched kiss.
Their emotional pressure and lead-up made the scene more impactful. And this scene is famous to this date!
2. Break the ice with your kissing partner:
Before jumping into the rehearsals, go through the scripts and review them again with your scene partner. Building a rapport, joking around, and discussing the kiss can build off-set chemistry that can help both of you to become a powerful fictional couple.
Also, be professional, communicative, respectful, as well as friendly. Doing so will make the scene more natural and smooth.
3. Keep it clean
Maintain your oral hygiene before the kissing scene. On D-day, do not forget to rinse with mouthwash, floss, and brush your teeth.
Before the performance or rehearsals make sure to practice oral hygiene by chewing mint-flavored chewing gum or spraying mouth freshener.
Also, avoid eating any food that contains garlic, onion, or tuna because that is considered unprofessional and unhygienic.
4. Be honest in your relationship
If you are dating someone in real life, then make sure to discuss your on-screen intimate scenes a few days before the actual shoot. Make sure your partner is aware of such scenes in advance to make you feel more comfortable.
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Do actors rehearse kissing scenes?
In certain scenarios, actors are asked to rehearse kissing scenes during their practice timings so that they don’t have any problems during the shooting. On the other hand, some are asked to hold off so that the kiss feels real.
But in most cases, the director requests the actors to rehearse and it is left up to the actors whether they want to practice kissing scenes or not.
While performing any intimacy scenes, the responsibility is given to the intimacy coordinators to see that nobody gets hurt emotionally or physically.
So the IC assists the actors throughout the process during the rehearsals by emphasizing the technique, open communication, safety, as well as consent-forward frameworks. You can practice fake kissing scenes for all or some of your rehearsals.
But it is a good idea to at least try any real intimate scene at least before the actual shoot. Here are some reasons why proper rehearsals are important:
- It breaks the anticipation between the two actors.
- It helps to figure out each other’s sync up and bodily rhythm. If two actors are not at the same pace while kissing in a scene, the act will either look made up or boring to the viewers.
- It helps to open up in front of your fellow castmates before the actual performance.
Other things to consider:
- Make sure to discuss all the details of the scene during your rehearsals.
- Always draw or share your boundaries and talk about where your scene partner is allowed to touch you. Be specific while doing so. For example, tell them whether it is okay to touch your hips, waist, thighs, or shoulders.
- Talk about whether you felt uncomfortable doing the scene. If you did, then they can be more gentle and patient with you while performing the scene.
Can actors refuse kissing scenes?
Yes. actors can refuse any kissing scenes if they are not comfortable or have any other personal reasons. And such reasons include:
- Religion
- Sexuality
- Germophobia
- Relationship status, and
- Fear or any orally transmitted disease
The actors have all rights to refuse a kissing scene if they aren’t comfortable. However, the director also has every right to replace the actor or find someone who will perform the kissing scene as is written in the scripts.
Some directors will empathize and feel concerned for the actors and change the scripts of the actors. So if you feel you won’t be able to do a live kissing scene, then be honest and tell everything clearly in the beginning. If the crew is aware of your discomfort or any other issue, then they might make the environment more comfortable and less anxious for you.
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What are some alternatives to kissing?
Do you feel awkward kissing your scene partner in front of the camera and other people? Then have a look at a few options to consider to avoid the lip lock altogether:
1. The stage kiss
In this style of kissing, the lead character cups the face of the other character which looks romantic and natural before beginning the kiss. Once they come closer, the male actor places his thumb over the female actor’s lips so that no direct lip-to-lip contact is made.
2. Blocking
Blocking is quite common in movies and TV shows. Here is how it works:
- The director positions the actors in such a way in front of the audience or camera which disguises what’s happening when someone watches from up close.
- If the audience is present on both, the front and back sides of the stage, the actors tilt their faces to make it look like they are kissing.
3. A blackout
In numerous movies, you might have seen characters kissing each other in the dark or in their shadows. Let’s have a look at how it’s done:
- If you are someone who works on the live scene or the stage, then the technical director will ask you to cut the lights when the kissing scene is about to take place.
- Then the female and male characters are positioned in such a way that suggests a kiss is happening.
- The rest is left up to the audience to fill in the visuals with their own imagination.
4. A stunt double
This kind of filming works not only in filming action scenes but love making scenes as well. However, the body double should be a lookalike of the character and their face should be partially hidden from the camera.
- The director starts filming with the lead character and the stunt double showing his or her side or back facing while kissing or performing any intimate scene.
5. A different action
In some cases, the actor completely refuses to kiss the other actor. In such cases, the director tries to substitute the kissing scene with other physically intimate scenes that hold importance and conveys the same feeling to the audience such as an intimate hug scene or neck kisses.
Sadly, not all directors are ready to change their scripts or alter something as per the actor’s comfort. If you tried to change their mind but they did not listen, then maybe acting in such films or movies is just not for you.
You can go for other roles that do not involve you kissing someone in the future.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. How do actors who have to do love scenes not get turned on?
There are a lot of anecdotes related to actors doing love scenes in TV shows and films. Reports say that any kind of genitals-to-genitals contact is not only considered pornography but is illegal. Actors don’t get turned on during love-making scenes because of many reasons.
- Firstly, everything is staged, from the angles of the body to the pressure applied on certain body parts.
- Secondly, the actors are not nude and are protected by modest garments like females wearing a padded sail and men wearing padded pouches all the time, or other garments like towels, and foam pads.
- Plus, there are a handful of people present on set who are there to help the actors feel less uncomfortable and more like an act. Thus, physical barriers and personal boundaries, and all the above factors do not make an actor easily aroused.
Q2. Do actors get awkward or embarrassed acting in kiss scenes or bedroom scenes? How do they deal with it?
Yes, actors can be awkward at first. But they get used to it because they know that this is just an act and get it over with rather than feeling embarrassed and having retakes twice or thrice. Professional actors don’t feel awkward as they know it’s not a big deal.
But it can be extremely difficult for the newbies and they are nervous throughout the scene. For such actors, they are given some time to practice with their scene partners before the actual shoot. Once they feel calm and comfortable and ready for it, then they perform an actual act.
Practicing these things with the opposite cast before the shoot makes it less nerve-wracking. If the actor still feels embarrassed, then they have the freedom to stop and take a break for some time.
Q3. Did the actors in the movie Friends with Benefits really have sex?
No. All actors of Friends with Benefits including Mila Kunis and Justin Timberlake did not have real intercourse in the film. The closeness and the angles make the audience believe that the actors are really having sex.
In fact, actors who are doing sex in films are not doing it in reality because it is considered illegal and inappropriate.
Q4. How do male actors cover their bulges when filming an underwear-only scene?
Most of the time, during an underwear photoshoot or any intimate scene, actors or male models don’t try to cover their bulges. Some even show it purposefully to prove that the character they are portraying is turned on or just wants to look sexy.
So they just flaunt it. But in some cases, actors don’t feel comfortable so they wear a codpiece that covers and hides any unwanted bulge so the opposite actor or the people on the set don’t feel uneasy.
Q5. How do actors fake the kisses in the movies?
The camera angle plays a major role in kissing scenes. In such scenes, the viewers just see two faces pressed together and they assume it’s real kissing. But in reality, they are just touching the corners of their faces.
- Faking a kiss: Most of the time, the actors do real kissing scenes, but if they don’t like each other, feel uncomfortable, or don’t want such physical intimacy, then the director uses this mode to fake kissing scenes.
- CGI-generated kiss: If it is a high-budget film and needs to show any actual kissing, but the actors are against it, then both of them will be filmed separately while kissing a green-colored mannequin or placeholder. Later on, the CGI team will combine the footage of both the actors and edit it to make them look like they are actually kissing each other. Though this process is time-consuming and costs more money and effort, it is best to make a fake kissing scene real to the audience.
Q6. Which actors got carried away while shooting a love scene?
Many actors got carried away while shooting a love scene and we have shared their names below:
- Michael Douglas in Low Instincts
- Henry Cavill in The Tudors
- Kate Winslet in The Mountain Between Us
- Michael Vartan and Drew Barrymore in Never Been Kissed
- Ewan Mcgregor in Scarlet And Black
- James McAvoy in Shameless
- Joe Jonas in the music video Body Moves
- Danny Dyer in Straightheads
- Jesse Metcalfe in Desperate Housewives
- Scott Eastwood in The Longest Ride
- Sidharth Malhotra and Jacqueline Fernandez.
- Vinod Khanna and Dimple.
- Ruslan Mumtaz with Chetna Pandey.
- Dalip Tahil and Jaya Prada.
- Prem Nath and Faryal.
- Vinod Khanna and Madhuri Dixit.