10 Actors Who Lied And Cheated To Land A Role

Not all movie stars got offered big roles. Some have to use unorthodox methods to land the parts that they want. These actors who lied to get their characters have come up with some pretty impressive schemes, and we’re all about it.
So here are 10 actors who lied, cheated, and schemed to secure their desired roles. Find out about their juicy deceptions down below.

1. Ben Affleck

actors who lied Ben Affleck Source: © Getty Images

Michael Bay likes low shots that come right under the actor’s chin and make them look a little bit heroic. Unfortunately, Ben Affleck’s teeth weren’t up to his standard. Bay thought he "kinda had these baby teeth." So to secure his role in Armageddon, Ben Affleck had to get $20,000 worth of dental work done. The dentist had Ben sitting in a dentist's chair for a week, eight hours a day.

2. Samuel L. Jackson

actors who lied Samuel L. Jackson Source: © Getty Images

When Samuel L. Jackson discovered that he was the model for Mark Millar's new version of Nick Fury, he was pretty chill about it. The actor even gave Marvel Comics permission to continue using his appearance. But everything has a cost. Jackson made Marvel promise him that he could play the character in any future movie adaptations.

3. Andrew Garfield

actors who lied Andrew Garfield Source: © Getty Images

Andrew Garfield got his part in Tick, Tick... Boom thanks to a lie. Lin-Manuel Miranda asked his massage therapist Greg Miele if the actor could sing. Greg happened to be a good friend of Andrew. So being the good friend that he is, he said yes. He even insisted Andrew had an incredible voice. Greg then called Andrew to let him know about their chat, and the movie star immediately threw himself into singing and piano lessons for a year.

4. Anne Hathaway

actors who lied Anne Hathaway Source: © Getty Images

Anne Hathaway wanted a part in Brokeback Mountain so badly that she lied to director Ang Lee after her audition. The actress never rode a horse before, but she told him that she was an excellent horseback rider. So she learned to ride before filming and got really good at it.
However, her lies were soon revealed. She was was given a horse on set without being told it was a verbal-command horse, so she couldn't p out how to make it ride. Recalling the experience, the actress said: “I went to a rehearsal in front of 300 extras, all of whom work in rodeos, and the horse wouldn't do a damn thing I wanted it to. And at the end, it threw me — in front of everyone."

5. Margot Robbie

actors who lied Margot Robbie Source: © Getty Images

During her The Wolf of Wall Street audition, Margot Robbie struggled to keep up with Leonardo DiCaprio’s improvisation. So the actress decided to take a big risk by getting closer to him. She looked like she was going to kiss him, only to hit him in the face and screamed "Fuck you!" in his face.
The room went dead silent and Robbie froze. She was so scared that she would be sued for hitting Leonardo DiCaprio. Her career would end and she would be arrested. Then Leo just burst out laughing and told her to hit him again.

6. Julia Garner

Julia Garner Source: © Getty Images

Julia Garner had to go through a grueling audition to secure the lead role in Madonna's self-directed biopic. The process was so hard that it was dubbed "Madonna boot camp." The actress had to spend 11-hour sessions with the pop star's choreographer, along with more dance, reading, and singing sessions with Madonna. Sadly, the biopic was canceled after Madonna announced her upcoming world tour.

7. Brian d'Arcy James

Brian d'Arcy James Source: © Getty Images

Brian d'Arcy James was willing to do anything to get a part in First Man, but the director didn’t think he was suitable for the role of an M15 pilot. So James borrowed an Air Force jumpsuit from the Dark Phoenix customer, asked his friend David Turner to lend him a plane, and did a photo shoot to prove the casting directors wrong.
David was able to help James by asking one of his friends. This guy happened to own an airport and was a semiprofessional photographer. Together they created a makeshift photo shoot of James standing next to a plane in a fighter pilot costume. The visual came out perfect, and the actor got his desired part.

8. Jada Pinkett Smith

Jada Pinkett Smith "went method" when she first met producer Danny Cannon for her Gotham audition. She showed up on the set dressing as Fish Mooney. The actress wore a short wig and a long gown, and she lead a shirtless young man on a leash with her. He also had the word "LIAR" written in lipstick across his forehead.

9. Chloë Grace Moretz

At the suggestion of Hugo's casting director, Chloë Grace Moretz told director Martin Scorsese that she was British. She also lied and made up an entire backstory about growing up in Cambridgeshire with parents who were horse breeders. She got the part, but her lies were soon discovered later in production.

10. Idris Elba

On the other hand, Idris Elba lied and told The Wire’s creator David Simon that he was American. He followed casting director Alexa Fogel's advice because she said Simon didn't want to cast non-American actors. However, Elba confessed his lies during his fourth audition because of his guilt.
Those are some actors who lied and cheated to land the roles that they want. Well, an actor gotta do what an actor gotta do, right? Unlike these guys, these movie stars originally turned down legendary characters that were going to change their life. Lucky for them, they reconsidered. Otherwise, they would have lost their chance of a lifetime.