Being a Hollywood celebrity isn’t as glamorous as it looks. While the journey to the top may be easier for some more than others, the fact remains that every aspiring actor needs that one big break to get a foothold in the industry, which will ultimately help them on their path to superstardom.
Many times, actors have adopted interesting methods to success by embellishing their resumes in order to secure a dream gig in a big film that they were desperate to be a part of. Some of them have got into pretty sticky situations as a result of their deception. Here are 5 celebrities who took the sneaky path to stardom.
5 Hollywood Actors Who Lied To Land Their Dream Role
1. Eddie Redmayne – Elizabeth I
From Les Miserables to his Oscar-winning turn as Stephen Hawking in The Theory Of Everything, Eddie Redmayne has proved that he is one of the most versatile stars of his generation. While it is possible to assume that challenging roles came his way easily, the actor once confessed that he took matters into his own hands to land a dream gig.
In an interview with Vanity Fair a few years ago, Redmayne revealed that he lied about having skills in horse riding to secure a part in the 2005 television series Elizabeth I starring Helen Mirren in the titular role. Desperate to be involved in the project, The Danish Girl star instinctively gave an affirmative answer to director Tom Cooper which led to disastrous results.
‘‘I gave the impression that I was a bit of a horse aficionado. Cut to three weeks later and we’re in Lithuania. They’ve built a huge Elizabethan street, I’m on a gigantic stallion, with about 40 Lithuanian horse stuntmen behind me.”
The actor went through with the scene and ended up almost injuring himself and members of the crew, while struggling to control the horse which was bolting at many miles an hour. As it turned out, Redmayne did not lose the gig, but was sent to rigorously train for the role.
Elizabeth I is streaming on Max.
2. Anne Hathaway – Brokeback Mountain
Apart from being Oscar winners and co-stars in Les Miserables, horses seems to be the other commonality between Eddie Redmayne and Anne Hathaway. Like The Good Nurse actor, Hathaway lied about her penchant for horse riding to secure her role in Ang Lee’s critically acclaimed Brokeback Mountain.
In an interview with Out, the Interstellar star put the blame on her parents who had told her that she must never say no to doing anything, as any skill that she did not have could be learnt in two weeks. Hathaway applied this philosophy for her audition.
While she did end up learning to ride, the Oscar winner admitted that she faced some embarrassing moments while struggling to give instructions to her horse who refused to respond to her commands.
“And I went to a rehearsal in front of 300 extras, all of whom work in rodeos, and the horse wouldn’t do a damn thing I wanted it to. And at the end it threw me — in front of everyone.”
Difficulties aside, Hathaway managed to master the skill and proved that her efforts were worth it through her performance in the film.
Brokeback Mountain can be rented on Apple TV.
3. Mila Kunis – That 70s Show
One of the most memorable characters in the ensemble of the blockbuster sitcom That 70s Show was Mila Kunis’ s*xy and stunning Jackie Burkhart. While it is difficult to imagine anyone other than the beautiful star playing this role, Kunis confessed that she hid one significant factor of her life to get the part.
In an interview with Variety in 2022, the Black Swan star admitted to lying about her age during her stint in the show. While the characters required the actors auditioning to be 18 years old , Kunis in reality, was only 14 years old at the time. However, she clarified that she did reveal her true age subsequently but ended up winning the gig anyway.
“You have to sign a contract before you get the job and in my contract I had to put an asterisk for studio teacher and I was like, ‘Oh P.S., I’m 14.’ But at that point if you talk to the creators, they were like, ‘We loved you at that point so what did we care?’”
Kunis went on to become one of the most desirable stars in the industry, and it all started with a little lie that catapulted her to the big leagues.
All 8 seasons of That 70s Show are streaming on Peacock.
4. Laurence Fishburne – Apocalypse Now
Like Mila Kunis, Laurence Fishburne also tried to prove that age is just a number when he auditioned for 1979’s Apocalypse Now. Considered a masterpiece, directed by none other than Francis Ford Coppola, the veteran actor was desperate to be part of this iconic film.
The Matrix star who auditioned for the role of Tyrone ‘Mr. Clean’ Miller, a 17-year-old boy in the army during the Vietnam war, stated that he was 16. When in reality, he was only 14 at the time. In an interview with George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight, the veteran disclosed that he was not successful in his deception as his face gave it away to the producers and the director.
Despite this, Fishburne bagged the role that put him on the Hollywood map. Interestingly, by the time the film was released in theaters, the actor actually turned 18.
Apocalypse Now can be rented on Amazon Prime.
Laura Fraser – Breaking Bad
A pivotal character in Breaking Bad who helps Bryan Cranston’s Walter White get his hands on drug-making ingredients is Lydia Rodarte-Quayle, played to perfection by Laura Fraser. The actor who also reprised her role in the spin-off series, Better Call Saul, found out that she had to possess one specific skill for the character.
Fraser’s character who works in a German company, expectedly required the star to be fluent in the language. Extremely keen to land the role, the celebrity admitted to Rolling Stone that she knew German despite only understanding a smattering of phrases through her early education. This proved to be a tricky proposition for her.
“I’ve done it in school, when I was 12, like I learned ‘Ich heise Laura.’ Basic German. It was a nightmare. It took me days to learn that little paragraph.”
But Fraser persevered and put in a dedicated effort to improve her fluency which worked wonders for the show. She later admitted that she took her learnings back home by showing her prowess to her family as well.
All 5 seasons Breaking Bad are streaming on Netflix.
