Many actors and actresses have had to lie or hide certain details in order to land a role they’ve been dreaming of for years. Some have had to pretend about their experience or skills to impress directors or producers. This practice is quite common in Hollywood, where the competition for roles is fierce.
For example, Anne Hathaway had to lie about her horseback riding experience to secure the role of Lureen Newsome in the movie ‘Brokeback Mountain.’ Similarly, Mila Kunis claimed to be older than she was to join the cast of ‘That ’70s Show’ when she was only 14 years old at the time.
Nicola Coughlan, the breakout star of ‘Bridgerton,’ also had to resort to these «white lies» to get the roles she desired. She once lied about her age to play a teenager in the series ‘Derry Girls’ at the age of 31. Coughlan admitted that age discrimination is prevalent in the industry, especially against women, and she was advised to lie about her age to get better job opportunities.
Chris Hemsworth, known for his role as Thor in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, has faced challenges due to his height. Standing at almost two meters tall, Hemsworth has sometimes lied about his height to fit certain roles better. He confessed that his height has cost him some opportunities in the industry.
Liam Hemsworth, Chris’s younger brother, also had to resort to deception to land a role. In his case, he lied about his volleyball skills to star in ‘The Last Song.’ He claimed to be a skilled volleyball player, but when it came time to film the scenes, he struggled due to his lack of experience.
Phoebe Dynevor, who shot to fame for her role in ‘Bridgerton,’ initially lied about her equestrian skills to get cast as Daphne Bridgerton. Despite her initial fear of horses, she claimed to be an experienced rider during auditions and eventually fell in love with the sport.
Ben Hardy, who portrayed Roger Taylor in ‘Bohemian Rhapsody,’ lied about his drumming skills to land the role. Despite having no prior experience, Hardy convinced the director that he could play the drums and learned the basics just in time for filming.
Hugh Laurie, best known for his role in ‘House,’ pretended to be American to audition for the series. He faked an American accent in his audition tape, which impressed the director and secured him the lead role.
Robert Pattinson, who will star as Batman in the upcoming film, had to fabricate a family emergency to audition for the role while filming ‘Tenet.’ He had to keep his Batman audition a secret and lied to director Christopher Nolan about the reason for his absence from set.
Jason Momoa, in his early acting days, embellished his resume to land a role in the ‘Baywatch’ reboot. With no prior acting experience, Momoa claimed to be a successful model to impress casting directors.
These stories shed light on the lengths actors go to in order to pursue their dreams in Hollywood. While honesty is always the best policy, sometimes a little white lie can open doors to new opportunities in the competitive world of entertainment.