Romantic comedies are often popular movies as they appeal to so many people. These films can vary massively in plot, with some opting to be more romantic while others prefer to focus on the comedic side. While audiences often watch it unfold on a surface level, many fantastic behind-the-scenes details usually go into making them, which are overlooked.
Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks Almost Turned Down Their Roles (You’ve Got Mail)
You’ve Got Mail is an excellent example of a romantic comedy, with this ticking both boxes perfectly. A big reason for that is the chemistry between Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks, but they almost turned down the roles. Ryan felt she was being typecast, while Hanks didn’t want to step on Jimmy Stewart’s shows, but fortunately, the two did say yes and took on the parts.
Getting Around André the Giant’s Language Barrier (The Princess Bride)
Due to his size, André the Giant was the perfect person to play Fezzik. The problem was that English wasn’t his first language, and they couldn’t understand what he was saying when he auditioned. To deal with the situation, the director, Rob Reiner, recorded all the lines on a tape for the wrestler to learn, which proved successful.
Heath Ledger’s Immediate Casting (10 Things I Hate About You)
Heath Ledger was one of the finest actors of his generation, so it’s easy to imagine him auditioning well. But just his presence was enough to land him the lead role in 10 Things I Hate About You, as Gil Junger has admitted that he thought if he could read English, Ledger would be cast after he walked four steps into the room. It’s an example of the star power that Ledger brought to the table, and it worked out well, and his performance was memorable.
Several Stories Were Cut (Love Actually)
Love Actually is a beloved romantic comedy, and one reason for that is the many storylines, many of which intertwine. But Richard Curtis has since admitted that four more stories were supposed to be in the film. Unfortunately, they made the film too long and were cut even though two had been filmed.
Jason Segel Used Real Life Inspiration (Forgetting Sarah Marshall)
One of the funniest scenes in Forgetting Sarah Marshall is when Jason Segel’s character gets completely naked and is dumped while standing with no clothes on. It might seem like something created perfectly for a Hollywood script, but it came from a moment in the actor’s real life. This situation legitimately happened to him, and he opted to use it for comedic impact.
A Fight Scene Without Choreography (Bridget Jones’s Diary)
Bridget Jones’s Diary features many memorable scenes, but the fight between Colin Firth and Hugh Grant’s characters is one of the best. The entire situation is painfully awkward, but that was done intentionally as it suited the actors’ roles. The actors ditched the stunt coordinator who was brought in and opted to make up the fight themselves, which many people don’t know.
Sandra Bullock Demanded Script Changes (The Lost City)
The Lost City isn’t one of the strongest romantic comedies ever made, but it’s one that almost didn’t feature Sandra Bullock. She only agreed to take part if some changes were made, which was for her character to be more of a powerful hero, while she wanted Channing Tatum’s role to be more feminine.
Ryan Gosling’s Dirty Dancing Moment Was Real (Crazy Stupid Love)
Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone had great chemistry in Crazy Stupid Love, and audiences appreciated the moment he brought out the Dirty Dancing lift. That’s something that Gosling had legitimately done on a date at one point in his life, which is how the scene ended up being added.
Hugh Grant Was Against His Dance Scene (Love Actually)
One of the most iconic moments from Love Actually is the famous dance scene that Hugh Grant provides. It brings a lot of humor, but the English actor wasn’t on board with doing it initially. He felt it would be unrealistic for the Prime Minister and wasn’t a fan of the song being used. The original plan was to use a song from the Jackson 5, but they couldn’t make it happen, and ultimately, Grant was convinced to do the scene, which benefited the film.
School of Rock Inspired a Romantic Comedy Casting (The Holiday)
Jack Black isn’t the first person people think of when it comes to a potential leading man in a romantic comedy because he often takes up straight comedic parts. His work in The Holiday proved he was just as talented in that field, but how he got the role would surprise many. Nancy Meyers, who wrote and directed the Christmas-themed movie, had seen his performance in School of Rock and was so impressed she decided he needed to be involved.
Reese Witherspoon Keeps Her Clothes (Legally Blonde)
Actors often get styled brilliantly in movies due to the nature of the character they’re playing, and that was certainly the case for Reese Witherspoon in Legally Blonde. But rather than giving them back like usual, she had a clause in her contract that meant she could keep all the clothes.
Getting Tipsy On The Job (27 Dresses)
The scene between Katherine Heigl and James Marsden’s characters attempting to sing Bennie and the Jets is hilarious. The two of them are supposed to be drunk in this role, and the actors opted to take that literally. This was the last scene they shot for the movie, so they opted to have a few drinks to get tipsy.
Mark Ruffalo Almost Refuses a Role Due to Dancing (13 Going on 30)
Mark Ruffalo is another famous actor who was dragged out of his comfort zone when filming a romantic comedy. That’s because he had to do a whole dance scene, which he didn’t want to do. Ruffalo admitted that he almost didn’t want to do the movie because of it, but thankfully, he got through it and provided a hilarious scene.
Secretly Filming Real People (Love Actually)
Love Actually opens with a beautiful scene of various people meeting at the airport. It showcases different kinds of love, which is what the movie is about, but none of the scenes were acted. Instead, a crew put up some hidden cameras to capture legitimate reactions from real people.
Richard Gere Plays His Own Music (Pretty Woman)
Richard Gere is a man of many skills. While most people know him for his acting, he is also a talented musician. That’s evident in Pretty Woman because the music that occurs when he plays the piano is his creation. Knowing he is the man behind it all makes the scene even more impressive when re-watching.
Made-Up Locations (500 Days of Summer)
(500) Days of Summer is about a relationship that doesn’t truly exist, despite what Tom hopes in his mind. That was set early on in the movie, as the locations of where he and Summer are initially from are made up.
A Four-Hour Makeup Process (Shallow Hal)
Gwyneth Paltrow spent most of the movie in a suit to make her look larger than she is in real life, which went with the movie’s theme. That made the actress’s makeup process lengthy, as it took four hours every single time.
Drew Barrymore Requested Adam Sandler (50 First Dates)
Drew Barrymore and Adam Sandler have excellent on-screen chemistry; a big reason is that they’re good friends. The two of them put together brilliant performances in 50 First Dates, which took place because Barrymore specifically reached out to Sandler to play the role, writing him a letter to persuade him.
