17 Actors Who Refused To Kiss Their Co-Stars

By Ace Vincent | Published 8 months ago

Hollywood romance might look effortless on screen, but behind the cameras, things can get complicated. While most actors consider on-screen kisses part of the job, some stars draw firm lines when it comes to locking lips with their co-stars. From religious convictions to health concerns, personal relationships to plain old awkwardness, these performers have said ‘no thanks’ to smooch scenes.

Sometimes the reasons are sweet, sometimes they’re practical, and occasionally they’re downright bizarre. Here’s a list of 17 actors who refused to kiss their co-stars and the fascinating stories behind their decisions.

Kirk Cameron

After marrying his ‘Growing Pains’ co-star Chelsea Noble, Kirk Cameron made a vow that would change his career forever. The evangelical Christian actor decided he wouldn’t kiss any woman on screen except his wife, no matter what role demanded it. When his role in ‘Fireproof’ required a romantic kiss scene, the production team got creative by having Chelsea step in as a body double and filming the scene in silhouette.

Denzel Washington

Denzel Washington’s decision to avoid kissing Julia Roberts in ‘The Pelican Brief’ stemmed from a painful experience during a screening of his 1989 film ‘The Mighty Quinn.’ When audiences booed an interracial kiss between his character and Mimi Rogers, Washington took notice. He became more cautious about romantic scenes, particularly with non-Black co-stars, explaining that Black women had always been his core audience and weren’t often portrayed as objects of desire in films.

Brad Pitt

Brad Pitt initially refused to kiss Cate Blanchett while filming ‘The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,’ reportedly out of respect for his then-partner Angelina Jolie. Blanchett later joked about how ‘disgusting’ it was to see how in love Pitt was with Jolie during filming. Eventually, director David Fincher convinced Pitt to film at least one kiss scene, though it took some persuasion.

Neal McDonough

Neal McDonough has built his entire career around a strict no-kissing policy rooted in his devout Catholic faith. The ‘Band of Brothers’ star refuses roles that require him to kiss anyone other than his wife, explaining that while ‘killing people on screen is fake,’ intimate scenes feel too real. As a father of five, he doesn’t want his children questioning his on-screen actions, so he’s chosen to play the bad guy who kills people rather than the leading man who kisses girls.

Will Smith

Early in his film career, Will Smith made a decision he later deeply regretted. During the filming of ‘Six Degrees of Separation,’ Smith was supposed to kiss Anthony Michael Hall but requested a stand-in at the last minute. Smith later called it ‘very immature’ and admitted he was worried about what his friends back in Philadelphia would think, acknowledging he wasn’t emotionally stable enough to commit to that aspect of the performance.

Lindsay Lohan

Lindsay Lohan was scheduled to kiss Charlie Sheen three times in one scene for ‘Scary Movie 5,’ but she refused to go through with it due to concerns over the actor’s well-documented partying history. The production had to bring in a body double to complete the scenes. Lohan reportedly felt bad about the situation afterward and tried to reach out to apologize, but her phone broke before she could contact him.

Candace Cameron Bure

Candace Cameron Bure has become increasingly uncomfortable with kissing scenes as she’s gotten older. The Hallmark movie regular explained that having to kiss different actors in each new project makes her more uncomfortable with age. While she hasn’t completely refused kissing scenes yet, she’s indicated that she’d prefer to only kiss her husband, suggesting she might join the ranks of actors who refuse such scenes entirely.

Fawad Khan

Pakistani heartthrob Fawad Khan took a stand for his personal beliefs when he refused to kiss Alia Bhatt in the 2016 film ‘Kapoor & Sons.’ The actor reportedly wanted to maintain his chastity and avoid compromising his values for the sake of a scene. His decision reflects cultural and religious considerations that influenced his approach to intimate scenes.

Julia Roberts

Julia Roberts wasn’t enthusiastic about kissing Nick Nolte in ‘I Love Trouble,’ and for good reason. The two actors genuinely did not get along when the cameras stopped rolling, making their on-screen chemistry feel forced. Roberts later described Nolte as ‘charming and nice, but also completely disgusting,’ while Nolte admitted in 2022 that there was plenty of blame to go around for their on-set tension.

Kimberly McCullough

Fourteen-year-old Kimberly McCullough faced an uncomfortable situation on ‘General Hospital’ when she discovered her kissing scene partner wasn’t another teenager but a 22-year-old man. The situation became even more inappropriate when the adult actor joked about having condoms ready for a date with the teen. When McCullough spoke to a producer about her discomfort, she was told to be grateful to work with such a talented star, but she still refused to do the kiss.

Ashley Tisdale

Ashley Tisdale had an awkward moment when Zac Efron guest-starred on ‘The Suite Life of Zack and Cody.’ During their kissing scene, Efron tried to use tongue, which shocked Tisdale since they were filming for Disney Channel. Tisdale quickly closed her mouth and told him to get away, explaining that Disney Channel didn’t do that kind of kissing, and the whole experience felt weird because of their close friendship.

Thandiwe Newton

Thandiwe Newton made a practical decision when she refused to kiss Gerard Butler during the filming of ‘RocknRolla.’ Butler was very sick at the time, and Newton didn’t want to risk catching whatever illness he had. Director Guy Richie had to improvise around the missing kiss, but Newton reported that he managed to pull it off brilliantly, creating one of the film’s most memorable scenes without the planned smooch.

Leona Lewis

Singer Leona Lewis turned down the chance to kiss heartthrob Chace Crawford when he appeared in her music video for ‘I Will Be.’ Lewis explained that she thought her partner would get jealous if she was kissing other people in her videos. To keep everyone’s feelings safe and maintain harmony in her personal relationship, she decided to skip the lip-locking altogether.

Janet Jackson

Janet Jackson felt hesitant about filming kissing scenes with Tupac during ‘Poetic Justice,’ despite the obvious chemistry between them. Her concerns weren’t about Tupac personally but about his reputation as a ladies’ man. The timing also played a factor, as AIDS had recently come to public attention and the methods of transmission weren’t yet fully understood, making intimate scenes feel riskier.

Reese Witherspoon

Reese Witherspoon found herself in an unpleasant situation when she had to film love scenes with Robert Pattinson, who was suffering from what she described as ‘the most hideous horrible cold of any co-star’ she’d ever worked with. Despite her reluctance to get anywhere near her sick co-star, Witherspoon ultimately had to ‘suck it up and take one for the team’ to complete the necessary scenes.

Ian Somerhalder and Nina Dobrev

After filming an epic kiss in the rain for ‘The Vampire Diaries,’ both Ian Somerhalder and Nina Dobrev refused to do any more outdoor kissing scenes in bad weather. The temperature was below 30 degrees during filming, causing Somerhalder’s jaw muscles to freeze up. Dobrev ended up with icicles in her hair and later became ill from the experience, leading Somerhalder to jokingly threaten to quit if the writers included another rain kiss.

Jewel

When casting began for ‘The Lyon’s Den,’ Rob Lowe specifically requested that singer Jewel play his romantic co-star. However, Jewel had different ideas about the intimate scenes required for the role. She was hesitant about kissing Lowe on screen and even asked for the romantic scenes to be removed from the script entirely, preferring to keep things professional rather than personal.

When Hollywood Gets Personal

These refusals reveal the human side of Hollywood’s most polished stars. Whether it’s Kirk Cameron honoring his marriage vows, Denzel Washington protecting his core audience, or Thandiwe Newton avoiding the flu, these decisions show that actors are people first and performers second. While some fans might be disappointed to miss out on their favorite on-screen couples, these stories remind us that consent and personal boundaries matter, even in the entertainment industry. The next time you watch a romantic movie, remember that behind every perfect kiss is a story of two professionals navigating the complex world of intimacy and artistry.

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