Drinks made famous by Hollywood
Hollywood has always known how to sell a lifestyle, and nothing captures glamour quite like the right drink in the right glass. From the smoky speakeasies of Prohibition-era films to the slick bars of modern TV dramas, what characters sip on screen often becomes what we order at our local watering pits. The silver screen doesn’t just entertain us—it tells us what’s cool, what’s sophisticated, and what we should be drinking.
The relationship between movies and cocktail culture runs deeper than simple product placement. When a charismatic actor raises a martini glass or a beloved character nurses a particular cocktail through heartbreak, audiences take notice. These moments create cultural touchstones that can resurrect forgotten recipes, launch new trends, or cement a drink’s place in the collective imagination.
Here is a list of 19 drinks that found their fame through Hollywood’s magical influence.
James Bond’s Vodka Martini
The most famous drink order in cinema history belongs to Agent 007: ‘shaken, not stirred.’ Bond’s Vodka Martini first appeared in the 1962 film ‘Dr. No’ and has been a constant in the world of 007 ever since. What makes this particularly interesting is that traditional martinis use gin, but Bond broke convention by choosing vodka. The drink became so iconic that Ian Fleming, the author, even invented a variation called the Vesper Martini, which blends gin, vodka, and Cocchi Americano.
The White Russian from The Big Lebowski
Jeff ‘The Dude’ Bridges made the White Russian cool in a way nobody expected. The combination of vodka, coffee liqueur and cream crops up nine times in the film, with The Dude constantly making one, drinking one, or carrying one. Post-‘The Big Lebowski,’ the White Russian experienced a resurgence, finding a new audience among fans of the movie. The drink perfectly matched The Dude’s laid-back personality and became a symbol of his relaxed approach to life’s chaos.
Old Fashioned from Mad Men
The ‘Mad Men’ television show singlehandedly brought the Old Fashioned back from the brink after it had largely fallen out of favor until the show’s 2007 premier. Don Draper’s signature drink choice reflected his character perfectly—complex, sometimes bitter, but with hints of sweetness underneath. The series begins with a waiter asking Don if he wants another drink, to which he replies: ‘Yeah, do this again. Old Fashioned, please.’ The show’s influence on cocktail culture was immediate and lasting.
French 75 from Casablanca
In this iconic World War II romance, Rick’s jilted girlfriend Yvonne and her Nazi suitor order French 75s, named after the 75-millimeter field artillery gun used by the French Army during World War I. The French 75 was the only drink ordered by name in the entire film. The cocktail’s military namesake added perfect dramatic irony to the wartime romance, and Humphrey Bogart’s association with the drink helped cement its place in cocktail history.
Gibson Martini from The Queen’s Gambit
For a long time, The Gibson Martini was obscure, differing from a classic martini only by using a pickled onion instead of an olive or lemon. Chess prodigy Beth Harmon’s love for the Gibson Martini sparked a trend with the 62 million viewers of the show and caused a surge in popularity. The unusual garnish choice seemed to match Beth’s unconventional genius, and suddenly bartenders everywhere were fielding requests for this previously forgotten variation.
Red Eye from Cocktail
Tom Cruise’s character in the 1988 film got audiences familiar with the Red Eye, a purported hangover cure made with beer, tomato juice, vodka, and a whole egg. The slightly disturbing concoction became a hit at the time but didn’t make it onto bar menus permanently. The drink’s association with flair bartending and Tom Cruise’s charismatic performance gave it brief fame, though it was pretty short-lived since the red eye is, well, disgusting.
Singapore Sling from Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
Johnny Depp’s character, Raoul Duke, orders ‘Singapore Slings with mezcal on the side’ in one memorable scene. Hunter S. Thompson’s favorite cocktail appeared in both his 1971 novel and the 1998 film adaptation, featuring the tropical-style drink against the backdrop of the pink Polo Lounge at the Beverly Hills Hotel. The complex tiki-style cocktail with its multiple ingredients and tropical presentation perfectly matched the film’s hallucinogenic aesthetic.
Mint Julep from The Great Gatsby
In the 2013 film with Leonardo DiCaprio and Carey Mulligan, the Mint Julep got famously mentioned during an argument on a trip to Manhattan, with Daisy Buchanan proclaiming her desire for ‘a place to have a Mint Julep.’ The cocktail is ever-present in the novel as well, with Daisy frequently holding one. The Southern cocktail perfectly embodied the decadent lifestyle and romantic longing that defined Fitzgerald’s Jazz Age masterpiece.
Manhattan from Some Like It Hot
In this classic comedy crime film featuring jazz music, mobsters and Marilyn Monroe, the Manhattan became the movie’s signature drink. The cocktail’s sophisticated blend of whiskey, sweet vermouth, and bitters matched the film’s upscale Chicago setting. Monroe’s character’s preference for this classic cocktail added to her allure and helped establish the Manhattan as a drink associated with glamour and sophistication.
Orange Whip from The Blues Brothers
‘Three Orange Whips!’ declares John Candy’s character right before a major fund-raising scene. This musical comedy from the 1980s popularized the Orange Whip, a cocktail made with rum, vodka and orange juice that experienced a huge resurgence after the film’s debut. The drink’s memorable introduction and the comedic timing of its order made it an instant crowd-pleaser at bars across the country.
Bloody Mary from Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Brad Pitt’s character, stunt double Cliff Booth, sits at the bar with a Bloody Mary in front of him, playing with the oversized celery garnish, reintroducing the drink to a younger fanbase. Tarantino’s attention to period detail helped showcase this classic brunch cocktail in a new light. The scene’s casual elegance and Pitt’s effortless cool made the Bloody Mary feel both retro and contemporary.
Vesper Martini from Casino Royale
James Bond’s preference extends beyond the classic martini to Ian Fleming’s own creation, the Vesper. This sophisticated variation combines gin, vodka, and Lillet Blanc (or Kina L’Avion d’Or for purists). The Vesper Martini grew from Fleming’s novel into a classic drink found on bar menus around the globe. The drink’s complexity mirrors Bond’s own character—refined, strong, and with hidden depths.
Sazerac from Live and Let Die
James Bond orders this New Orleans classic on the recommendation of a CIA agent, who tells him to relax since he’s in New Orleans. The Sazerac’s unique preparation with rye whiskey, absinthe, and sugar cube perfectly captured the mystique of the Big Easy. Katharine Hepburn was also seen ordering a Sazerac in classic Hollywood films. Bond’s diverse drinking habits showed his adaptability and cultural sophistication.
Whiskey Sour from The Seven Year Itch
In this Billy Wilder romantic comedy, Tom Ewell’s character Richard Sherman claims he’s ‘perfectly capable of fixing my own breakfast. As a matter of fact, I had two peanut butter sandwiches and two whiskey sours.’ The combination of breakfast food with cocktails perfectly captured the character’s bachelor lifestyle and slightly chaotic approach to domestic life. The Whiskey Sour remains a classic and crowd favorite without a doubt.
Stinger from The Bishop’s Wife and The Razor’s Edge
Cary Grant as Dudley the Angel orders a round of Stingers while lunching with ladies from the church, and Ray Milland orders one with green crème de menthe in another classic film. Mad Men also featured episodes where characters were drinking Stingers, causing bartender Paul O’Halloran to predict that viewers would start ordering them that week. The drink’s association with sophisticated characters in multiple films helped maintain its classic status.
Champagne from Come September
Rock Hudson’s character drinks lots of Champagne throughout this film, with one memorable scene featuring a bird perching on the edge of a glass getting drunk from Champagne. The film even showed Hudson drinking a martini for breakfast, and when asked if he wanted anything else, he replied, ‘an olive.’ This casual approach to day drinking epitomized the relaxed sophistication of 1960s cinema and helped establish Champagne as the ultimate luxury beverage in Hollywood.
Brandy Alexander from Days of Wine and Roses
Jack Lemmon orders Lee Remick, a Brandy Alexander in this dramatic film about addiction. The cocktail’s creamy, almost dessert-like quality provided an ironic contrast to the film’s serious subject matter. The drink’s elegance and smooth taste made it popular among audiences who wanted to recreate the sophisticated atmosphere they saw on screen, even as the film warned about the dangers of excessive drinking.
Vodka Tonic from Lost in Translation
In Scarlett Johansson and Bill Murray’s first encounter, she shows her inexperience by not knowing what to order in the bar, eventually going for a Vodka Tonic. The drink remained in the collective imagination of moviegoers as the drink of melancholy and the ideal companion to face the solitude of a new city. The simple cocktail perfectly captured the film’s themes of isolation and cultural displacement.
Bourbon on the Rocks from The Shining
Jack Torrance orders bourbon-on-the-rocks from Lloyd, the ghostly bartender, in the hotel’s lavish yet haunting Gold Room. The drink, served in a classic rock glass, is simple yet potent, mirroring Torrance’s slow-burning descent into insanity. The straightforward nature of the drink contrasted sharply with the supernatural complexity of the situation, making it even more unsettling when consumed in the company of ghosts.
The Magic Behind the Glass
Hollywood’s influence on drinking culture reflects something deeper about how we connect with the stories and characters we love. Cocktails became markers of class, taste, and elegance in classic Hollywood films, allowing audiences to instantly place characters in the social hierarchy of their day. When we order James Bond’s martini or Don Draper’s Old Fashioned, we’re not just getting a drink—we’re buying into a fantasy, borrowing a bit of that character’s sophistication or rebellion. The silver screen taught us that the right drink at the right moment can transform an ordinary evening into something cinematic, and that lesson continues to influence how we approach cocktail culture today.
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