Awkward screen kisses can have little to do with attraction. Actors have described being sick, dealing with unpleasant food or drink, kissing a close friend, wearing an uncomfortable costume, or performing in front of a crew. The 2020 article that matches this topic lists 13 pairings in the available text—not 14—so this account does not add an unsupported example.
The examples below are anecdotes attributed to actors in interviews or other coverage. They describe individual experiences, not a general rule about performers or on-screen intimacy.
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Illness and uncomfortable costumes
Reese Witherspoon and Robert Pattinson in Water for Elephants
Witherspoon described Pattinson having a cold during their kiss scenes. The account also recounts Pattinson saying he wiped his runny nose on her wig. These remarks were attributed to MTV News in The List’s 2020 article; the original interview wording is not independently established here.
Morena Baccarin and Ryan Reynolds in Deadpool
Baccarin described the rubber smell of Reynolds’s costume as making intimacy harder. The List attributes the comment to People. It is a practical on-set complaint, not a claim about the actors’ personal relationship.
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Food or drink before a take
Dane Cook and Kate Hudson in My Best Friend’s Girl
Cook joked that Hudson had eaten onions before their scene. The List traces the anecdote to an appearance on Watch What Happens Live, via ABC News.
Liam Hemsworth and Jennifer Lawrence in The Hunger Games
Hemsworth joked that Lawrence ate garlic or tuna before kissing scenes. The account attributes the story to The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
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Shailene Woodley and Miles Teller in The Spectacular Now
Woodley and Teller joked about supplements and Gatorade before takes. The List attributes their comments to Vulture. The anecdote concerns what they said about preparing for the scenes; it does not establish that either actor refused to kiss the other.
James McAvoy and Angelina Jolie in Wanted
McAvoy called the kiss awkward and noted that film kisses can happen early in the day, before actors have eaten or freshened up. The List attributes related remarks to In Touch and Today.
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Friendship, familiarity, and personal discomfort
Ashley Tisdale and Zac Efron in The Suite Life of Zack & Cody
Tisdale said kissing Efron felt uncomfortable because they were close friends and more like siblings. She also described their differing expectations of the scene. The account attributes the interview to Elle.
Kirsten Dunst and Brad Pitt in Interview with the Vampire
Dunst recalled finding the kiss unpleasant when she was a child. The List attributes the quotation to Bullet via E! News. Her age and perspective matter: this was a child actor describing a scene, not an adult co-star’s account of ordinary romantic chemistry.
Jennifer Lawrence and Chris Pratt in Passengers
Lawrence described feeling guilty about kissing a co-star who was married. The List attributes the interview to The Hollywood Reporter. Her stated discomfort was about the real-life context, rather than a technical problem with the scene.
Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper in Silver Linings Playbook
Cooper recounted that Lawrence called him a “wet kisser” after a take. The anecdote is attributed to The Graham Norton Show; it describes her reaction to his kissing style, not a stated reluctance to perform the scene.
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Helena Bonham Carter and Woody Allen in Mighty Aphrodite
The List reports Carter’s comments about Allen’s restrained kissing style, attributing them to Elle. The available account does not provide enough detail to characterize her remarks more broadly as a refusal to kiss him.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.The crew and the setting
Hugh Jackman and Nicole Kidman in Australia
Jackman described making out in front of a large crew as uncomfortable and said the production created a safe atmosphere. The List attributes his remarks to Elle and Express. His account points to the work environment around an intimate scene, not simply the on-screen pairing.
Thandie Newton and Tom Cruise in Mission: Impossible 2
The List relays Newton’s remarks through a book and Just Jared. Because the available account does not establish the wording and context at the original source, it is safest to treat this as a reported anecdote rather than quote it or draw a stronger conclusion about what she wanted.
What these anecdotes do—and do not—show
The reasons described here range from a cold or costume to food, friendship, personal discomfort, and the presence of a film crew. They are not all accounts of an actor refusing a scene: some are jokes, some describe awkwardness, and some recount a reaction after filming. Ranker’s broader overview also mentions bad breath, nerves, personal familiarity, and crew presence, but it is secondary context rather than independent confirmation of these individual stories.
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A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11The List’s article, published October 1, 2020, has 13 visible pairings in the available content. It does not substantiate a fourteenth example. The examples should therefore be understood as attributed entertainment anecdotes, not a verified or comprehensive count of actors who did not want to kiss a co-star.
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