20 Times Actors Went Off-Script To Kiss Their Co-Stars
When you think of improvisation, you probably imagine wacky comedy troupes, right? And given that most Hollywood productions are scripted to within an inch of their lives, you’d be forgiven for believing that there’s no room for spontaneity on screen these days. Not so! Some of your favorite TV shows and movies have seen stars pucker up unprompted. Yes, many kisses — from quick pecks on the cheek to passionate smooches — were filmed entirely on the fly. And here’s a look at just 20 of them.
1. Roger Moore and Valerie Leon in The Persuaders
Veteran British actress Valerie Leon has had the good fortune to work alongside such legends as Richard Harris, Richard Burton, and Roger Moore. She’s shared the screen with the suave James Bond star on no fewer than four occasions, in fact. And the lucky lady has even had the opportunity to get up close and personal with Moore on set — “Moore” than once.
“Closed my eyes and enjoyed it”
While filming an episode of classic ’60s series The Saint, Leon took part in a three-in-a-bed scene with Moore. That’s not as risqué as it sounds, though. The actress went so far as to describe the moment as “terribly innocent.” And Leon has also spilled the beans about another amorous encounter with the former 007. According to the Islington Tribune, she said in 2017, “I was also in The Persuaders, and Roger gave me an unscripted kiss. I just closed my eyes and enjoyed it. They kept it in.”
2. K.J. Apa and Casey Cott in Riverdale
One of the most memorable Riverdale episodes has to be season four’s “Wicked Little Town,” when the gang tackle Hedwig and the Angry Inch. And two of the teen drama’s stars certainly got into the spirit. In the cult musical, Hedwig typically wades into the audience to give one lucky spectator a smooch. So, Casey Cott and K.J. Apa decided to uphold the tradition — even if they had to go off-script.
“Exactly what it should be”
Speaking to TV Insider in April 2020, Cott revealed all, saying, “Halfway through shooting that number, I was like, ‘I should just go kiss K.J.’ So I planted one on his cheek... Then the next take, I went in to do the same thing, and he turned his face and we just kind of laid a big one on each other... After that, we were like ‘This is exactly what it should be.’”
