You will be surprised to see how many successful celebs’ careers started with falsehood. In a fiercely competitive place like Hollywood, you need to be visible before even getting to flaunt your skills. These actors wouldn’t get noticed had they not faked those skills to stand out. This trend is not limited to the show business as many of you must have lied in your interviews and resumes as well. That’s what it takes to sell yourself! Find out the 10 actors who lied to get major movie and TV roles.
Mila Kunis
Most of the actors we come across pretend to be younger. Mila Kunis on the other hand told the casting directors of “That ‘70s Show” that she was 18 while her original age was only 14. Mila must have carried it out pretty smoothly as she landed her breakthrough role with this sitcom. Not just that, this lie even introduced her to her current husband Ashton Kutcher. It was too late by the time everybody found out her real age.
Jason Momoa
Jason Momoa became an international name overnight after playing Khal Drogo in “Game of Thrones”. Before that, the “Aquaman” was an unknown face with a bland resume. Such challenges in the competitive environment compelled him to fabricate his experiences and skills. On sensing the vibes of the unimpressed directors of “Baywatch: Hawaii”, Jason quickly improvised and told them that he was a model in Hawaii who worked for big fashion brands. It suddenly threw him under the light and got him selected.
Mads Mikkelsen
The flawless “Hannibal” actor has proved that he doesn’t need to give audition anymore, let alone lying in them. Before becoming a sensation in this thriller series, Mads had impressed everyone as the cold antagonist in “Casino Royale”. During his auditions for the Bond film, the actor claimed that he was a huge James Bond fan. However, Mads Mikkelsen had never seen a single Bond movie until after the promotional tours began.
Idris Elba
Idris Elba lying to get a role doesn’t sound like him, does it? The truth is, his agent had pressed him to fake an American accent for “The Wire” because the directors were looking for an American actor. But Idris wasn’t comfortable to lie about his nationality and revealed everything after four rounds. By then, the makers were already smitten by his talents and decided to go with him anyway.
Matt Damon
There is a reason why schools taught us to refrain from lying. It can sometimes cost you more than what you wanted in the beginning. When it comes to Matt Damon, the world doesn’t mind much about the lie, even if it cost him his bones. Hollywood couldn’t have afforded to be deprived of a gem like him. “The Bourne Identity” actor had gone way too far by adding made-up skills that were beyond his abilities. All he knew was to nod and say yes to everything that the casting agents asked. He had lied about knowing how to ice-skate in order to land a role in a local TV show. Matt was wrong to think that he could get away with this. When the time arrived to ice-skate on the camera, the actor slipped and injured himself badly.
Meghan Markle
The “Suits” star and the Duchess of Sussex had a turbulent start to her Hollywood journey. While most of the actors got away with their harmless lies, Meghan managed to get the boot. What she did could have landed the productions in some serious danger. Being a member of the actors’ guild is mandatory for every actor. When Meghan Markle was asked if she had the SAG Card during an audition for a show, she decided to roll with the flow and say yes. The makers didn’t waste seconds to end the contract with her after discovering the lie.
Jodie Comer
Jodie Comer was quite late to the party when she applied for “Killing Eve”. The role of an assassin required the candidates to be extremely fit, multilingual and skilled in combat. The shortage of time didn’t allow her to learn any of those skills, thus leaving her with no other option but to fake them. She cracked the big role and perhaps learnt those skills later on.
Gillian Anderson
Given how convincing Gillian was as Margaret Thatcher in “The Crown”, it’s no shocker that she can sell any lie. Pretending to be a few years older wasn’t a big deal for the American actress who can immaculately speak in English accent. Anderson got her first big break in “The X- Files” after the 24-year old told the directors that she was 27. They were looking for someone mature who could fit in the FBI agent’s shoes, and young Gillian easily pulled that off.
Jada Pinkett Smith
Jada Pinkett had cleared her screen test for “The Matrix Reloaded” but had to overcome another barrier before getting onboard. She was pregnant at that point and her due date clashed with the productions which were planned to begin in November. But when the directors asked her, Jada improvised on the spot and said that she was due in October. Things moved in her favour anyway when the baby came early on 31st October.
Jameela Jamil
All of us have faced the paradox of recruiters looking for young minds with 10 years of experience. Jameela Jamil was also struggling with a similar crisis since she had zero experience with acting. But instead of waiting around, she made everyone believe that she was one of the top stage performers in her school.
