12 Times Actors Decided to Go Against the Rules and Ask for Changes

There’s a saying about life that goes: “If you don’t ask for something that you want, the answer will always be no.” The same goes in the world of Hollywood and TV, where roles, scenes, and costumes are decided on by the people behind the cameras. Believe it or not, actors do have a say in what they will work on, and these stars made it crystal clear.

At Bright Side, we’re taking a look at some of the stories behind changes that were asked for or demanded by the actors and artists themselves that made it to the big screen.

1. Emma Watson’s costume in Beauty and the Beast

The original movie of Beauty and the Beast showed Belle in a yellow corset, but Emma Watson was against that from the start, saying that wearing a corset was an impossible ideal of female beauty. So the corset was replaced with a flexible bodice. This also let the character move more freely, allowing her to ride a horse without her clothing inhibiting her every move.

2. Zendaya said no to filming her first kiss.

When she was a teenage Disney star in Shake It Up, Zendaya said she was only going to kiss her co-star on the cheek because she hadn’t been kissed yet, so she didn’t want her first kiss on the lips to be on camera.

3. Bruce Lee refused to be filmed losing to Robin.

When martial arts legend Bruce Lee played Kato in The Green Hornet, there was supposed to be a scene where he would get beaten up by Robin. Bruce refused to do the scene because he said that no one would believe that Robin could beat him in a fight. In the end, the fight did make it to the final cut, but it was a draw instead of Kato losing to Robin.

4. Michelle Yeoh’s emerald ring in Crazy Rich Asians

Eleanor, Michelle Yeoh’s character in Crazy Rich Asians, was a perfectionist who knew that what she wore must be flawless. So when Michelle was presented with a prop emerald engagement ring that she was to wear, she quickly refused because it wasn’t a real emerald. Instead, she offered to use her jewelry instead, which was a real emerald ring.

5. Michelle Rodriguez refused to portray a cheater in The Fast and the Furious.

In an interview, Michelle Rodriguez revealed that one of the original storylines of The Fast and the Furious movie was that her character, Letty, would cheat on her on-screen boyfriend, Dom, played by Vin Diesel. This storyline didn’t make sense at all to Michelle, which led her to put her foot down. She said that it was unrealistic for a Latina woman to cheat on the biggest alpha male, and she didn’t like portraying a character who cheats.

6. Jessica Alba refused to swim with a real-life shark in Into the Blue.

While filming the thriller, Into the Blue, Jessica Alba shared one of her most harrowing shooting experiences, which included a real-life tiger shark. The script was that the shark would swim beside Alba and her co-star, a bit too close for her comfort. She was adamant about the request, which resulted in her yelling at the director, so she got on a boat and went back to shore.

7. Meryl Streep and the “cerulean sweater” monologue in The Devil Wears Prada

Meryl Streep wanted her character, Miranda Priestly, to be a fully formed character in the sense that the script would show how much of an accomplished business person she was. This led to Miranda suggesting to add the iconic “cerulean sweater” monologue that explained how Andy’s blue sweater was influenced by the fashion world and the people in the magazine.

8. Samuel L. Jackson asked for a unique lightsaber in Star Wars.

In Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, Samuel L. Jackson requested that director George Lucas allow him to use a purple lightsaber instead of the standard blue or red. Having a purple lightsaber would make it easier for him to identify himself during a large skirmish. Lucas initially refused, but when shooting day came around, Jackson walked onto set and was given a purple lightsaber. It just goes to show that what Samuel L. Jackson wants, Samuel L. Jackson gets!

9. Whoopi Goldberg refused to wear fake jewelry in 1997’s Cinderella.

Similar to Michelle Yeoh, Whoopi Goldberg was against wearing fake jewelry for her costume as Queen Constantina in Cinderella. So when she saw the fake jewels, she instantly hooked up the design crew to pick whatever they needed from luxury jeweler Harry Winston.

10. Prince’s cameo in New Girl

Being a big fan of the sitcom, New Girl, music legend Prince proposed to do a cameo on the TV series. Actor Jake Johnson revealed in an interview that Prince loved Nick and Jess’ relationship, and he wanted to do something to strengthen their bond, hence the cameo.

11. Anna Kendrick turned down a romantic storyline in Pitch Perfect 3.

When Anna Kendrick was filming Pitch Perfect 3, there was originally a romantic storyline between her character, Beca, and Guy Burnet’s music executive character, Theo. She flat out turned it down because she believed that it would be problematic given that their characters had a professional relationship. She was also asked for an alternative ending where Beca and Theo would kiss, but, of course, she said no to this too.

12. Robert Downey Jr. changed the ending in Avengers.

The conclusion for the first Avengers movie was supposed to be Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark asking, “What next?” after awakening, post-battle, in New York. However, RDJ wanted something snappier. The writers provided alternatives that resulted in a 3-page script of ideas and the iconic scene that shows our group of heroes in a post-battle binge at a shawarma joint.

Which of these details surprised you the most? Did you agree with the changes that the artists proposed? Share your thoughts in the comment section!