8 Actors Who Brazenly Lied To Get The Roles
Ever lied on your résumé? Outstanding actors and actresses who are able to convincingly play characters that are not themselves are the backbones of Hollywood. Without them, the industry would not be what it is today.
However, the truth can often be stranger than fiction, especially in the film industry, where it is a common practice to invent one's background in order to win a prominent role. This means that the truth can sometimes be weirder than fiction. The following is a list of the eight actors who have been caught lying to get roles in Movies or television shows:
Director Tom Hooper inquired as to whether Eddie Redmayne was familiar with riding horses before awarding him a role in the British historical drama miniseries Elizabeth I. The actor's fib almost had disastrous consequences.
Redmayne says that when filming began, he nearly lost his life and the lives of half the staff members around him because he was so inexperienced on a horse. Director Tobe Hooper grabbed a massive speaker in the middle of the chaos and yelled, "You're a f*cking liar, Redmayne!" Thankfully, he didn't fire the actor and instead enrolled him in horseback riding lessons.
Relatedly, Anne Hathaway had a similar experience when trying to land a role in Brokeback Mountain due to her lack of riding experience. She lied to director Ang Lee about her familiarity with horses and intended to learn how to ride before filming began, against her parent's objections.
The actress "became really, really, really excellent" at horse-riding for the film, but she was surprised to learn that the horse she was given would only obey verbal directions. During dress rehearsals, the truth about her horse-riding skills surfaced.
In order to secure her roles in Martin Scorsese's 2011 historical drama film Hugo, American actress Chlo Grace Moretz, then 14 years old, convincingly pretended to be British.
The actress spent five months in London while filming Kick-Ass, and by the end of that time, she had mastered the cadence of the British accent. Scorsese finally cast her in the role, but after she thanked him, the director remarked, "It was all for naught." Incredulous: "Hold on, did I hear an American accent?”
Every famous TV actress in the world wanted the part of Lydia Rodarte-Quayle on Breaking Bad the moment casting calls were put out. The casting was very important because the show's popularity was at an all-time high. However, choices were restricted due to a lack of suitability because proficiency in German was a requirement for the role.
Although she had never studied the language previously, actress Laura Fraser did not let that stop her from jumping at the chance. She was so committed that she put in countless hours studying her German dialogues, and her proficiency in the language was a huge factor in the success of the show's fifth and final season.
Before his Harry Potter and Twilight roles, English actor Robert Pattinson struggled with poor luck. He was sacked from his first stage acting job days before the premiere and his early roles were either erased or only on DVD. Pattinson lied to Los Angeles casting directors about attending RADA and Oxford University because he was unemployed and in debt. After becoming famous as Edward Cullen in The Twilight Saga, he stopped lying.
Starting off as Jackie Burkhart on That '70s Show, Mila Kunis has gone on to become one of the best actors to make the leap from the small screen to the big screen. Although actresses trying out for the program were required to be at least 18 years old, Kunis landed the job despite being four years younger than the age requirement. "I lied and said I was 16 when I was actually 14 years old. I lied and said I was going to turn 18 when I wasn't, but it's not entirely a lie.
Hugh Laurie never lied to win his most famous part. His audition tape worked. The pilot episode director and House producer insisted on casting an American actor as Dr. Gregory House. He stopped viewing English actor audition tapes and searched for a "quintessentially American person."
Hugh Laurie sent his audition tape in an American accent and convinced Singer he was American. The director, unaware that Laurie is British, appreciated the audition so much that he told the production crew, “See, this is what I want – an American guy.”
George Clooney struggled to join the Screen Actors Guild before becoming a Hollywood star. “You couldn't get a job without getting into the Screen Actors Guild, so everybody would make up these credits to get in. Clooney recalls that without the internet, you could get away with everything.
Clooney's lies nearly backfired. Clooney told a casting director about his cat movie. Despite working on the same film, the casting director didn't remember Clooney. He begged her for SAG admission after his fib was discovered. She saved him and gave him a role in The Predator. Clooney's career flourished after the film was canceled.
However, the truth can often be stranger than fiction, especially in the film industry, where it is a common practice to invent one's background in order to win a prominent role. This means that the truth can sometimes be weirder than fiction. The following is a list of the eight actors who have been caught lying to get roles in Movies or television shows:
1. Eddie Redmayne
Source: Getty Images
Director Tom Hooper inquired as to whether Eddie Redmayne was familiar with riding horses before awarding him a role in the British historical drama miniseries Elizabeth I. The actor's fib almost had disastrous consequences.
Redmayne says that when filming began, he nearly lost his life and the lives of half the staff members around him because he was so inexperienced on a horse. Director Tobe Hooper grabbed a massive speaker in the middle of the chaos and yelled, "You're a f*cking liar, Redmayne!" Thankfully, he didn't fire the actor and instead enrolled him in horseback riding lessons.
2. Anne Hathaway
Source: Getty Images
Relatedly, Anne Hathaway had a similar experience when trying to land a role in Brokeback Mountain due to her lack of riding experience. She lied to director Ang Lee about her familiarity with horses and intended to learn how to ride before filming began, against her parent's objections.
The actress "became really, really, really excellent" at horse-riding for the film, but she was surprised to learn that the horse she was given would only obey verbal directions. During dress rehearsals, the truth about her horse-riding skills surfaced.
3. Chloë Grace Moretz
Source: Getty Images
In order to secure her roles in Martin Scorsese's 2011 historical drama film Hugo, American actress Chlo Grace Moretz, then 14 years old, convincingly pretended to be British.
The actress spent five months in London while filming Kick-Ass, and by the end of that time, she had mastered the cadence of the British accent. Scorsese finally cast her in the role, but after she thanked him, the director remarked, "It was all for naught." Incredulous: "Hold on, did I hear an American accent?”
4. Laura Fraser
Source: Getty Images
Every famous TV actress in the world wanted the part of Lydia Rodarte-Quayle on Breaking Bad the moment casting calls were put out. The casting was very important because the show's popularity was at an all-time high. However, choices were restricted due to a lack of suitability because proficiency in German was a requirement for the role.
Although she had never studied the language previously, actress Laura Fraser did not let that stop her from jumping at the chance. She was so committed that she put in countless hours studying her German dialogues, and her proficiency in the language was a huge factor in the success of the show's fifth and final season.
5. Robert Pattinson
Source: Getty Images
Before his Harry Potter and Twilight roles, English actor Robert Pattinson struggled with poor luck. He was sacked from his first stage acting job days before the premiere and his early roles were either erased or only on DVD. Pattinson lied to Los Angeles casting directors about attending RADA and Oxford University because he was unemployed and in debt. After becoming famous as Edward Cullen in The Twilight Saga, he stopped lying.
6. Mila Kunis
Source: Getty Images
Starting off as Jackie Burkhart on That '70s Show, Mila Kunis has gone on to become one of the best actors to make the leap from the small screen to the big screen. Although actresses trying out for the program were required to be at least 18 years old, Kunis landed the job despite being four years younger than the age requirement. "I lied and said I was 16 when I was actually 14 years old. I lied and said I was going to turn 18 when I wasn't, but it's not entirely a lie.
7. Hugh Laurie
Source: Getty Images
Hugh Laurie never lied to win his most famous part. His audition tape worked. The pilot episode director and House producer insisted on casting an American actor as Dr. Gregory House. He stopped viewing English actor audition tapes and searched for a "quintessentially American person."
Hugh Laurie sent his audition tape in an American accent and convinced Singer he was American. The director, unaware that Laurie is British, appreciated the audition so much that he told the production crew, “See, this is what I want – an American guy.”
8. George Clooney
Source: Getty Images
George Clooney struggled to join the Screen Actors Guild before becoming a Hollywood star. “You couldn't get a job without getting into the Screen Actors Guild, so everybody would make up these credits to get in. Clooney recalls that without the internet, you could get away with everything.
Clooney's lies nearly backfired. Clooney told a casting director about his cat movie. Despite working on the same film, the casting director didn't remember Clooney. He begged her for SAG admission after his fib was discovered. She saved him and gave him a role in The Predator. Clooney's career flourished after the film was canceled.
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