For decades, George Clooney has occupied a singular space in the American imagination as the ultimate silver-screen heartthrob. From his breakout days on ER to his suave turns in the Ocean’s Eleven franchise, his charm has been a box-office staple. However, the Oscar winner is officially closing a chapter on the romantic gestures that helped build his legend. Clooney recently signaled that he is stepping away from onscreen lip-locking, opting instead to follow the dignified path forged by another Hollywood icon, the late Paul Newman.
Clooney explained his shift in philosophy during a candid conversation with The Daily Mail, noting that he is intentionally emulating Newman’s later career choices. Newman famously made a personal vow to refrain from filming romantic or intimate scenes with anyone other than his longtime wife, Joanne Woodward. For Clooney, the decision seems to be a mix of personal devotion to his wife, human rights attorney Amal Clooney, and a pragmatic recognition of his evolving status in the industry. "I’ve been trying to go the route Paul Newman did," Clooney shared, effectively giving the "kiss-off" to future romantic subplots that require physical intimacy with costars.
While audiences often view movie kisses through a lens of soft lighting and swelling orchestral scores, the reality on a film set is far less glamorous. For actors, these moments are technical hurdles fraught with anxiety over tongue placement, the dryness of one’s lips, and the unfortunate timing of a pungent lunch. The "ineffable chemistry" that viewers crave is often the result of grueling labor rather than genuine sparks. In fact, many of the most famous romantic moments in cinema history were actually nightmares to film, plagued by everything from contagious illnesses to awkward family dynamics.
Kate Hudson, often heralded as the queen of the 2000s romantic comedy, is one of the most vocal critics of the "magical" movie kiss. Despite her electric chemistry with Matthew McConaughey in hits like How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, Hudson revealed to Gwyneth Paltrow on the Goop podcast that her onscreen experiences have been underwhelming. "Honestly, I feel like I kind of haven’t had the best kissers," she confessed, specifically calling out the logistical disasters that accompanied her scenes with McConaughey.
In their 2008 film Fool’s Gold, a scene that was supposed to be a triumphant romantic reunion in the ocean turned into a survival exercise. Hudson recalled that as they embraced following a scripted plane crash, the elements conspired against them. "Every time I kiss McConaughey, I mean, it’s like there’s just something happening and there’s like snot or wind," she joked. McConaughey later defended his performance to Yahoo! Entertainment, pointing out that trying to look sexy while gasping for air and covered in saltwater is nearly impossible. "There’s a lot of salt water and snot and all kinds of stuff," he admitted, questioning if the final product could even look good under such messy circumstances.
Hudson herself isn’t immune to criticism from her costars. Dane Cook, who worked with her on the 2008 comedy My Best Friend’s Girl, claimed that Hudson went out of her way to make their kissing scene difficult. Speaking to Andy Cohen, Cook alleged that Hudson intentionally ate a "feast of onions" right before the cameras rolled, leading him to rank her among his least favorite onscreen partners.
Physical illness is another recurring theme in the annals of bad movie kisses. When Reese Witherspoon and Robert Pattinson filmed the Depression-era drama Water for Elephants, the brooding atmosphere was hampered by a severe case of the sniffles. Pattinson revealed that he was battling a debilitating cold during their "sexy" scenes, leading to a rather unhygienic encounter. "My nose is running all over the place," Pattinson recalled, admitting that he ended up inadvertently wiping his nose on Witherspoon’s wig during their embrace. Witherspoon confirmed the lack of appeal, describing the experience as "not pleasant."
For child stars, the stakes are even higher, as their first-ever romantic experiences often happen in front of a crew of fifty strangers. Selena Gomez’s first kiss occurred on the set of The Suite Life of Zack & Cody with Dylan Sprouse. The experience was defined by nerves and bad aim. Gomez admitted that she closed her eyes too early and ended up missing half of his lip, resulting in what she called "the most awkward kiss in the world." Adding to the teenage drama, Gomez confessed she actually had a crush on Dylan’s brother, Cole, but was scripted to kiss the "wrong" twin.
Similarly, the Harry Potter franchise saw its lead actors navigate the transition from childhood friends to romantic interests under intense public scrutiny. When Emma Watson and Rupert Grint finally shared their long-awaited kiss in the seventh film, Watson was paralyzed by overthinking. She recalled agonizing over the mechanics: "Do I use tongue? Do I not use tongue? Do I cover my teeth?" To end the tension, she "pounced" on Grint, leaving him startled and the crew laughing.
In the world of action blockbusters, the "bad kiss" is often a deliberate choice used as a prank. Liam Hemsworth revealed that his Hunger Games costar Jennifer Lawrence would go out of her way to be repulsive before their scenes. Knowing their characters, Katniss and Gale, shared a complicated bond, Lawrence would eat garlic or tuna fish and skip brushing her teeth specifically to mess with Hemsworth. "Fantastic, I can’t wait to get in there and taste it!" Hemsworth would sarcastically reply. Their fellow tribute, Josh Hutcherson, also noted that Lawrence’s kissing style involved "a lot of slobber," though he found his first-ever kiss in the film Little Manhattan at age 11 to be the more traumatizing event due to the lack of intimacy on a crowded set.
The Disney Channel era provided its own set of "rules" for romance. Ashley Tisdale recalled a moment of genuine shock when her High School Musical costar Zac Efron tried to use his tongue during a guest appearance on The Suite Life. Having come from the more mature environment of The CW, Efron wasn’t prepared for Tisdale’s reaction. "Get away from me!" she shouted, reminding him that Disney Channel stars don’t kiss like that. Efron later faced his own "hygiene karma" on the set of Summerland, where costar Kay Panabaker called him out for having salmon for lunch mid-kiss. Efron now reportedly carries a toothbrush everywhere he goes.
Technical difficulties have also ruined iconic moments, such as the famous upside-down rain kiss in Spider-Man. Tobey Maguire revealed that the scene was a near-drowning experience. As he hung suspended in the rain, water ran up his nostrils, and when Kirsten Dunst pulled back his mask, she effectively cut off his oxygen supply. While the world saw a legendary romantic image, Maguire was struggling to breathe.
Age gaps and personal history also play a significant role in the discomfort. Kirsten Dunst famously called her kiss with Brad Pitt in Interview with the Vampire "gross." At the time, Dunst was 11 and Pitt was in his thirties. She has stood by that assessment decades later, noting that Pitt felt more like an older brother and the situation was inherently "weird."
For Penn Badgley and Blake Lively, the difficulty was emotional. The Gossip Girl stars were a real-life couple for years, making their onscreen kisses easy and natural. However, once they broke up in real life, they still had to continue their characters’ romance for several more seasons. Badgley later quipped that his "worst" onscreen kiss was likely with Lively immediately following their split.
The presence of family can also stifle the mood. Colin Farrell found it "dodgy" to kiss Kate Beckinsale in the Total Recall remake because her then-husband, Len Wiseman, was the director and refused to leave the room. Similarly, Millie Bobby Brown had to navigate her first Stranger Things kiss with Finn Wolfhard while her father and entire family watched from the monitors, an experience she rated as "the most awkward thing in the world."
From the rubbery, "latex condom" smell of Ryan Reynolds’ Deadpool mask—as described by Morena Baccarin—to Shailene Woodley’s "dirt supplements" that Miles Teller claimed smelled like "crap" on the set of The Spectacular Now, the reality of the movie kiss is a far cry from the fantasy. As George Clooney steps away from the romantic spotlight, he leaves behind a legacy of charm, but perhaps he is simply happy to trade the snot, onions, and "dirt pouches" for the quiet dignity of a life off-camera with his wife.
