15 Times Actors Deviated From The Script And Directors Couldn't Help But Screamed "Pretty Cool"

Jessica Wilson
Mar 18, 2023
Mar 18, 2023

Screenwriters spend a lot of time writing lines that are often debated and rewritten several times, but directors ultimately decide what makes the final cut. Most actors consider the scripts they are given as a strict set of rules to follow to fulfill the scenes of their characters. They pay heed to the script and use themselves as the scriptwriter's medium to express their art.
In reality, some famous quotes from films were created by actors as they were performing them, so these lines do not occur in the original scripts. Even if it means deviating from the script, they inject their own flair and personality into their character. We are surprised by how much the movies improve and find it difficult to imagine anyone else in their place.
We've made a list of 15 actors who have unscripted performances here, and they can really make you say "Wow!"

#1 Joaquin Phoenix got an idea to get into the fridge while shooting Joker.

Source: © Joker / Warner Bros.

Joaquin Phoenix unexpectedly emptied the fridge's contents during the kitchen scene's filming before entering and shutting the door. The cast and crew were taken aback but continued filming because they were curious to see what Phoenix would do next. This is how one of the movie's most moving moments came to be.

#2 Gerard Butler wasn’t supposed to scream the phrase, “This is Sparta!”

Source: © 300 / Warner Bros. Pictures

The scream of King Leonidas, "This is Sparta!", was not part of the scene's original plan. Butler was supposed to whisper those words, according to the director. The actor asked for another take. Everyone on set laughed at his scream, but the director liked it. This is how an unplanned take ended up in the film.

#3 In The Avengers, Robert Downey Jr. passed on his own habits to his character.

Source: © The Avengers / Paramount Pictures

Ironman, played by Robert Downey Jr., is a snack-obsessed superhero. For example, when he appears in the frame with a pack of snacks, he doesn't get confused and gladly offers Hulk and Captain America a bite as well.

#4 In the Dumb and Dumber movie, Jim Carrey’s phrase, “No way...that’s great. We’ve landed on the moon!” was improvised.

Source: © Dumb and Dumber / New Line Cinema

Jim Carrey frequently improvises on set, and Dumb and Dumber was no exception. The scene in which Lloyd is leaving a cafe and notices an old newspaper on the wall was not meant to elicit a strong reaction from him. However, Jim Carrey responded so expressively to it that the take ended up staying in the film and becoming one of the funniest moments.

#5 Jason Isaacs changed the appearance of his character, Lucius Malfoy.

Source: © Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets / Warner Bros. Pictures

Jason Isaacs refused to wear a striped suit and a black-and-white wig that designers prepared and instead offered to replace it with a wizard's gown and long, white hair.
Later, the actor admitted that he was tilting his head back because he was trying to keep his hair as straight as possible. This infused his character with arrogance, which became a trademark of Lucius Malfoy. By the way, if the actors in the Harry Potter saga had resembled their characters' descriptions in the books, they would have looked very different.

#6 Emma Watson refused to wear a corset on the set of Beauty and the Beast.

Source: © Beauty and the Beast / Walt Disney Pictures

Emma Watson wants her character to be more active. To help Belle to ride a horse and dance easily, the actress refused to wear corsets while filming. Her costumes were all light and lovely, and they weren't too tight around the waist, so her character's movements were never hampered.

#7 Maya Hawke made her character revolutionary in the Stranger Things universe.

Source: © Stranger Things / Netflix and co-producers

Maya Hawke was given complete control over her character before the start of Stranger Things Season Three. She did an excellent job. Robin was chosen by the actress to be the first major LGBTQ+ character in this universe. “The reason she has all these hard walls is that she doesn’t feel like she fits in. She feels like an odd one out. She’s gay, and nobody knows that.” She said.

#8 Michelle Rodriguez refused to let her character cheat on her lover.

Source: © Furious 6 / Universal Pictures, © The Fast and the Furious / Universal Pictures

Michelle Rodriguez didn't want to be the 'trophy wife' of the main character. Instead, the actress meticulously planned her character. And when the writers suggested that Letty cheat on Dominic, Rodriguez got into an argument with them. The actress was even willing to leave the project to avoid playing a dishonest heroine. The filmmakers eventually made some concessions.

#9 Mike Myers insisted on changing Shrek’s accent.

Source: © Shrek / DreamWorks Animation, © Alan Light / Wikimedia Commons, © CC BY 2.0

Shrek was voiced by Mike Myers. He had planned to use his Canadian accent at first. However, after reviewing the draft version, Myers decided to change his character's accent to Scottish. According to Myers, it appeared to the actor that Shrek belonged to the working class.
This decision cost the animators many extra work hours and about $5 million. But all of the expenses paid off: the cartoon's producer, Steven Spielberg, was pleased, and Shrek became one of the most famous Scottish characters in 21st-century pop culture. Mike Myers' wit was frequently displayed in other films.

#10 Reese Witherspoon “rewrote” her character before the start of Cruel Intentions.

Source: © Cruel Intentions / Columbia Pictures Corporation

Reese Witherspoon refused to play Annette in Cruel Intentions because she disliked the character created by the screenwriters. Witherspoon thought Annette was too shy and weak-willed. The actress worked on the character herself, rewriting several phrases and eventually creating Annette's deep and multifaceted personality. Since then, the actress has matured professionally while her appearance has remained virtually unchanged.

#11 Samuel L. Jackson asked for a purple sword from the director when shooting Star Wars: Episode II — Attack of the Clones.

George Lucas created a rule that good guys receive blue or green light swords, while bad guys receive red ones. Samuel L. Jackson requested that his character, Mace Windu, be given a purple-colored light sword. According to the actor, this will help his character stand out in the final scene of Star Wars: Episode II — Attack of the Clones. Lucas agreed, and Jackson was relieved.

#12 The most touching scene in Spider-Man: No Way Home wasn’t invented by the writers.

The scene in which the three Spider-Men embrace was not written into the script, according to Tom Holland. The first time this happened was in reality. The actors started hugging each other because they were so happy to be on the same set. After almost ten years, it was Tobey Maguire's big screen comeback, and he was overcome with emotion as he embraced his coworkers. After seeing this picture, the director decided to include it in the script.

#13 The scene where Daniel Craig is coming out of the water was not in the script of Casino Royale. The actor simply wanted to take a swim.

Daniel Craig wanted to have some fun while acting in a scene on the beach. The actor pretended to be swimming in shallow water before abruptly rising and exiting the pool. The shot eventually made it into the movie and turned out to look amazing. Additionally, some of the shots became the basis for the film's promotional campaign and formed the updated image of James Bond. The actor did not want to play James Bond for a very long time, despite his increasing fame and popularity.

#14 When shooting Titanic, Kate Winslet decided to spit at her character’s fiancé.

At the start of the panic on board the ship, Kate Winslet offered a different interpretation of the actions of her character. While Cal tries to stop his fiancée, Rose rushes to Jack's aid. The girl was supposed to poke Cal with a hairpin, as per the script. Rose, on the other hand, spits in her fiance's face. The director supported Winslet's choice because Rose had learned how to spit from Jack earlier and had used the skill right away.

#15 Zoë Kravitz shows Catwoman, not as someone glamorous but rather wild.

Zo Kravitz's nails had grown long since her last visit to the nail salon. The actress then thought of doing the same with Catwoman. The actress insisted that the nails be left natural rather than painted with nail polish. In this manner, the protagonist would not resemble a beautiful superheroine but rather a wild animal.

Share this article