8 Facts About Actors’ Careers You May Not Have Heard Before

Hollywood actors manage to master their roles so well that we don’t think much about what might have happened on set while filming. But it’s the road bumps they’ve encountered in their careers, along with the risks they needed to take, that made them the superstars they are today.

Bright Side did some research about what happened to various actors during their careers, and we discovered some interesting facts we’d like to share with you.

1. Dwayne Johnson starred in his first acting role as his father, Rocky.

Johnson portrayed his father, Rocky, in season 1 of That ’70s Show with the episode titled, “That Wrestling Show.” It was his first acting job after he had started following in his dad’s footsteps in wrestling. He had made a good impression on everyone and got himself a role in The Mummy Returns just 2 years later.

2. Daniel Radcliffe was allergic to his character’s glasses.

During an interview that Daniel Radcliffe had with J.K. Rowling, he revealed that he was allergic to the first pair of his character’s famous glasses. He said, “I was actually allergic to the first Harry Potter glasses. Because I had these 2 rings of white heads and spots that had come up around my eyes, and it took us a week to realize that it was actually the glasses.”

3. Carl Weathers got the role in Apollo Creed because he was disrespectful to Sylvester Stallone.

During the audition for the role of Apollo, Carl Weathers insulted his future co-star without realizing it. He recalls, “There was nobody to read with, and they said you’re going to read with the writer [Stallone], and we read through the scene, and at the end of it, I didn’t feel like it had really sailed.” So he said to the production team, “I could do a lot better if you got me a real actor to work with.” That reaction got him the role because Stallone believed that it was something Apollo would definitely say.

4. Jennifer Lawrence auditioned for the role of Bella in Twilight.

Twilight was a huge success and has gathered fans from all over the world. We fell in love with Kristen Stewart’s performance as Bella, but there were many other talented actresses who auditioned for that role and didn’t get it. Jennifer Lawrence was one of them, and she said after the release of the saga that she was fairly impressed with the film and was amazed by it.

5. Tom Hanks used his own funds to pay for some scenes in Forrest Gump.

Tom Hanks earned an Oscar for his role in Forrest Gump, but he also had to dig in his pockets during the shooting of the movie. Hanks explained that some of the budget was not approved by Paramount, like the scene where Forrest runs across the United States. He and the director had to pay for that scene because they knew how important it was.

6. Chris Hemsworth’s real-life wife stood in for Natalie Portman in the kissing scene at the end of Thor: The Dark World.

This actually makes sense since that kiss was so magical and felt so real and passionate. During the reshoots of the film, Natalie Portman couldn’t join Hemsworth because she was already starting work on another film. With Hemsworth being abroad, it was very difficult, so they put his wife, who was traveling with him, in Portman’s wig and costume and filmed the scene.

7. Robin Williams improvised a lot while filming Mrs. Doubtfire.

We know how great Robin Williams was as a comedian, so it’s no surprise to learn that many of his most famous scenes were improvised. In fact, the director had enough footage for several different film versions, ones that were scripted and others that were completely improvised by Williams. The director even set up multiple cameras to ensure he captured the other actors’ reactions, as they generally didn’t know what Williams was going to say or do.

8. Chris Pratt stole his Peter Quill/Star-Lord costumes to visit sick children at the hospital.

The Guardians of the Galaxy star confessed during an interview that he used to steal his Peter Quill/Star-Lord costumes, including the jacket, from the set of the movie and take them home with him. He used to do this so he could visit sick children in the hospital dressed as a superhero if the movie became a hit at the box office.

Which fact was the most surprising to you? We’d love to know what you think in the comments!