We all love a good kiss scene. Whether it’s a long-awaited defining moment in two characters’ love story or a plot twist no one saw coming, kisses have the power to change everything. And while they are often the writers’ doing, some smooches that ended up on the screen never were in the script. These on-screen kisses were technically not supposed to happen but ended up staying. Here are some of the most memorable kiss scenes that were a surprise to those on the receiving end too.
12. Top Gun (1986)
The kiss between Maverick (Tom Cruise) and Charlie (Kelly McGillis) in Top Gun, apparently wasn’t supposed to happen. In the script, the conversation went on, but rumour has it that Cruise actually forgot his line and decided on just kissing McGillis. Director Tony Scott liked that scene so much that he left it in the film.
11. Lost In Translation (2003)
In Lost in Translation, Bob Harris (Bill Murray) and Charlotte (Scarlett Johansson), spark an unlikely friendship in Tokyo. At the end of the film, Bob and Charlotte’s goodbye kiss came as a surprise to everyone on set. Director Sofia Coppola says Murray is a great improviser. The kiss wasn’t in the script and Johansson didn’t expect it.
10. Edge Of Tomorrow (2014)
Edge of Tomorrow screenwriter Christopher McQuarrie told Film School Rejects that filmmakers wanted Major William Cage (Tom Cruise) and Special Forces fighter Rita Vrataski (Emily Blunt) to kiss. But the idea was dropped as they did not find the right moment to make it happen. However, Blunt surprised everyone by just going for it one day while filming a scene, and it worked.
9. American Hustle (2013)
In American Hustle Amy Adams and Jennifer Lawrence respectively play Christian Bale’s character’s mistress and wife. In one scene, Lawrence furiously kisses Adams, before breaking away and laughing maniacally. The scene wasn’t in the script. It was rather Adams who pitched the idea to director David O. Russell.
8. Teen Wolf (2011)
It is actually Dylan O’Brien’s improvisation skills that got his character in a relationship on the show. Early on in the series, O’Brien suddenly kissed co-star Holland Roden on the cheek which was not it the scene’s script. The director liked it and the redid the scene multiple times including the kiss to get it just right. This led fans to actually want their characters, Stiles and Lydia, to end up together.
7. Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017)
Luke Skywalker’s (Mark Hamill) heartbreaking final goodbye to his sister Leia (Carrie Fisher) where he kisses her on the forehead before walking away, a sweet gesture that overcame Hamill in the take.
6. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 (2015)
The kiss between Haymitch Abernathyhis character (Woody Harrelson) and Effie Trinket (Elizabeth Banks) at the end of The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2, was completely improvised.
5. Game Of Thrones (2017)
In Game of Thrones’ episode “Stormborn” of season seven saw Yara Greyjoy (Gemma Whelan) and Ellaria Sand (Indira Varma) kiss on a ship just before getting attacked. The actresses weren’t told to do so, but the scene ended up in a steaming kiss anyway.
4. The Office (2006)
In “Gay Witch Hunt”, the premiere episode of season three, Michael Scott (Steve Carrell) finds out that Oscar Martinez (Oscar Nuñez) is gay. In a most awkward attempt to display his acceptance he forces a kiss on Oscar. In the script, the kiss was meant to be just a hug but ended up in a priceless moment.
3. Jurassic World (2015)
The kiss between Owen Grady (Chris Pratt) and Claire Dearing (Bryce Dallas Howard) also wasn’t in the script. The scene was filmed that way at first, but on the last day of filming, Pratt spontaneously kissed Howard. It was in fact director Colin Trevorrow’s idea who suggested that Pratt adds in a kiss without telling Howard.
2. Stranger Things (2017)
The kiss between Max (Sadie Sink) and Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin) was entirely unplanned. The idea was first brought up as a joke and then added in at the last minute.
1. New Girl (2012)
In “Injured,” Schmidt (Max Greenfield) kisses Nick (Jake Johnson) on the mouth twice when he thinks that Nick is not well. In On Air With Ryan Seacrest, the actors said the kiss was improvised and that they do improvise kisses a lot. Greenfield said that the crew didn’t think the kiss was appropriate, but Greenfield kept adding it in any way. “They usually don’t put it in… and finally, they put it in after about the seventh time I’d done it,” Greenfield said.
