Screenwriters spend months and sometimes years setting up the plot and describing scenes and dialogues. The actors are cast and expected to memorize lines and play out the written scenes on the camera. However, the script is often not translated the way it was envisioned by the director and the writer. What seemed good in our heads may not play out the same way in reality. So, the movie has to rely on the actor’s improvising skills and ad-libs. A lot of times the actors have to create scenes outside the script while filming. Find out 12 moments in movies that were created on the spot.
Jim Carrey in Dumb and Dumber
The two men talking to Jim Carrey’s character in “Dumb and Dumber” weren’t even in the movie. They were just passersby who watching the shoot when Carrey went impromptu and asked them “big gulps?”. Interestingly, the director and the men went with the flow.
RDJ in Captain America: Civil War
The world knows how blessed Robert Downey Jr. is with his acting chops. Apart from the fact that he was effing similar to his character Tony Stark, RDJ is a terrific actor who can blend in his roles and improvise scenes. RDJ is a master of ad-libsand has done it plenty of times in the MCU alone. During his fight with Bucky when Iron Man said “Manchurian Candidate, there’s a truce here”, it was not a part of the script.
Jonah Hill and Jillian Bell In 22 Jump Street
One of the best scenes in “22 Jump Street” was the hilarious fistfight between Jonah Hill and Jillian Bell. The hardcore punches and the awkward kissing confusion was shot in a single take as it was all improvised.
Andrew Garfield in The Social Network
David Fincher was highly impressed by Andrew Garfield while filming “The Social Network” with him. That’s because Garfield had that spontaneity and confidence that only big stars reflect. The little dance he did when he walked up to Jesse Eisenberg at a party was not scripted but improvised by Garfield.
Michael Nyqvist in John Wick
The prime villain in John Wick Chapter I, Viggo smoking a joint while John Wick was killing his son felt more intense than it was supposed to be. Running these two moments parallel was Michael Nyqvist’s idea who wanted his character to be high and oblivious of what’s going on.
Tom Cruise and Dustin Hoffman in Rain Man
Academy Award winner “Rain Man” was a comedy-drama about two brothers, Charlie and Raymond. Charlie was a cunning businessman who kidnapped his autistic brother Raymond to force their father’s inheritance out of him. In one of the scenes when the two were in the phone booth, Dustin Hoffman literally farted out loud and Tom Cruise went with the flow. This famous scene wasn’t scripted but improvised by the actors.
Kieran Culkin in Scott Pilgrim vs. The World
Wallace throwing keys at Scott Pilgrim had taken him by surprise not only on the screen but even off screen. Actor Kieran Culkin thought of it on the spot and decided to toss the keys at Michael Cera’s head. Poor Cera’s reaction was mostly likely authentic.
Tom Hardy in Venom
Tom Hardy is one of the latest talents who is on a rising curve and is in no mood to look down. He has taken the world by storm with his wild performances in “The Revenant”, “Mad Max: Fury Road”, “The Dark Knight Rises”, etc. He gave a stellar performance in “Venom” and made Sony proud. In fact some of his parts in the movie were made on the spot by Hardy. For instance, the bizarre scene where Eddie Brock dived into the lobster tank at the restaurant had surprised the entire crew as it wasn’t in the script.
Sigourney Weaver in Ghostbusters
When Bill Murray’s Peter visited Sigourney Weaver’s Dana at the apartment, she told “you are more like a game show host”. It was created by her on the spot as the original dialogue on the script said “you are more like a car salesman”.
Robin Williams in Aladdin
The great Robin Williams from “Good Will Hunting” had also contributed his ideas in the making of the original and incredible “Aladdin” movie. While recording his voice for the iconic Genie, Williams gave him an edge by addressing Aladdin as “Al” all the time. It wasn’t written in the script but the director liked Williams’ style and let him keep it.
Bruce Willis in Armageddon
Ad libbing is not so different from extempore where you have to come up with lines on thw spot. Bruce Willis went through a similar experience when he had to read out the driller’s demands in “Armageddon”.
Jerome Flynn in Game of Thrones
The popular show “Game of Thrones” that took everyone by storm was nothing if not filled with profanity and obscenity. But writers and directors shouldn’t take the weight of this blame alone. Jerome Flynn’s Bronn grabbing Podrick’s crotch was totally non-scripted. Guess, the show did grow on the actors.
