10 Unscripted Kisses That Made Scenes Even Better

Lost In Translation is the sweetest example of an improv'd kiss

Kylin

• Published in Film & TV
• March 19, 2022

Outside of an improv class or reality shows, the media we consume is largely scripted. Movies, television shows, theater, they’re all the work of a group of professional writers (sometimes even a single writer) who have delicately put together each interaction.

From longing glances, light touches as they pass another actor, to their verbal exchanges and even kisses and sex scenes. Every single moment has been painstakingly thought out, weighed against other options and scenarios before being put into scripts for the actors to read and follow.

Except sometimes they aren’t, because actors are also masters of their trade and can sense, and follow a feeling that they can do *something* to make the scene better. Whether it be a silly comment, an accidental movement, or an unscripted kiss, actors continue to stretch their improvisational muscles and elevate their scenes, sometimes in a way that becomes the most memorable part of the whole movie or episode.

Take A Room With A View, for example, the iconic kiss in the field between Helena Bonham Carter and Julian Sands was completely unscripted. Considered one of the most romantic films, and totally punched up with a previously unscripted smooch.

We’ve collected the top ten best improvised on-screen kisses, ranging from romantic and swoony, to surprising, silly, and in-between. These unplanned kisses show that in these specific instances, the reward totally justified the risks.

1. A Room with a View: Helena Bonham Carter & Julian Sands

Helena Bonham Carter went on to reveal that the kiss was a wild ride for her: “You know the kiss that ended up being something everyone loved? That was totally improvised, right at the last minute.”

2. The Last Song: Miley Cyrus & Liam Hemsworth

Liam Hemsworth shared that during their very first day on set, while they were filming on the beach that they got tossed straight into the lovey-dovey stuff right away.

“The funny thing about that scene was that originally there was no kiss in that scene. And the director was yelling out things throughout the scene, halfway through she yelled out: ’Kiss!’ So we kinda got thrown into it, which was good cause, you know, I had no time to get nervous about it.”

And to think, Miley and Liam’s romance blossomed thanks to an unplanned kiss on the set of The Last Song.

3. New Girl: Max Greenfield & Jake Johnson

Johnson and Greenfield apparently had differing ideas about their characters' friendship on the show New Girl. Greenfield kept trying to kiss Johnson several times, which turned into a running gag on the show.

Johnson said in an interview alongside Greenfield: “Max improvised kissed me a bunch on the show.” Greenfield was quick to add: “Jake was against it at first, and I said: ’Just go with it, let it happen, let it be free, let it be in the moment.’”

4. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part 2: Woody Harrelson & Elizabeth Banks

Banks revealed: “Woody and I went into that moment, that wasn’t written, we improv’d that. We decided to do it, and the director was like, ‘I love it. Let’s try it again.’”

Harrelson later admitted that he likely enjoyed that moment more than the fans did: “I have a crush on Elizabeth Banks, I’m not going to lie.”

5. The Office: Steve Carell & Oscar Nuñez

While Nuñez shared that the uncomfortable kiss shared between his character and Steve Carell's on The Office was unscripted, he thought it was a lot of fun.

“...he wasn't supposed to kiss me, we were just supposed to hug, and he kept hugging me. And that particular take he came in really close, and I'm like, "Where is he going with this?" Oh, dear, yes here we go. And then I'm just thinking, "Oh God, nobody laugh so we can use it." And they didn't, and it worked perfectly. It was a lot of fun."

6. Lost in Translation: Bill Murray & Scarlett Johansson

Director Sofia Coppola confirmed that the iconic farewell between the Lost in Translation characters was never meant to include a kiss, and ultimately was sprung on Johansson. “It was always meant to be this tender goodbye where they both knew that they had touched each other in some way.  And I remember sometimes he would always spring things on her, and it was fun to get her reaction.”

7. American Hustle: Jennifer Lawrence & Amy Adams

Amy Adams revealed that she brought up the idea to the director, David Russell, about kissing Jennifer Lawrence in the middle of their characters’ fight, even though it wasn't previously in the script: “We were talking about the scene and I was like ’How about if she kisses her?’ And David understood... Jennifer was totally game. It ended up being like the perfect exclamation point on a toxic conversation.”

8. Jurassic World: Chris Pratt & Bryce Dallas Howard

Howard details how after saving Pratt's character, his gesture of gratitude via a grand cinematic kiss wasn't initially scripted but added on by director Colin Trevorrow at the last minute.

 “[The kiss] was spontaneous. That wasn’t written in there… By the time we shot, Colin said, ‘I think the characters are going to earn this. I think that it’s good to have a moment like this.’ It was funny because that day we were shooting there were 800 background artists. We had shot the scene in the way that it was written—there was no kiss. And then on the last day, that happened—what you see in the movie. After Colin yells cut, there was mountainous applause. Everyone was cheering. It was great!"

9. Star Wars: The Last Jedi: Mark Hamill & Carrie Fisher

Not to make you cry or anything, but Hamill shared in an interview that he can't watch the scene in The Last Jedi where Luke says goodbye to Carrie Fisher's Leia. And that the tender kiss on her forehead was unscripted.

“I didn’t decide it and say, ’Can I do this?’ I mean, in the take — I don’t know if we rehearsed it or not, but it just happened. I was standing up and they weren’t ready for it. And we did it for a second take, and like I said, it was just spontaneous.”

10. Game of Thrones: Indira Varma & Gemma Whelan

It's surprising to consider an unscripted moment on a show like Game of Thrones, but according to Indira Varma, when she and Gemma Whelan's character kiss in season 7, it came about from a feeling. “It wasn’t directed that we would kiss. It just seemed like something we should do.”

It's so amusing to know that these momentous and sometimes iconic smooches weren't initially planned. And while in real life it's always best to have full consent, it seems that everyone involved ultimately did so, too.

Were any of these a surprise to you? Do you know about another unscripted kiss that we missed?

Let us know in the comment section below, and be sure to share with your friends!

Kylin