Top 50 Actor Mistakes That Were KEPT IN the Movie

“Blade Runner” (1982)

An icon of ‘80s cinema, Daryl Hannah starred in “Blade Runner” as Pris Stratton, an escaped replicant seeking a longer lifespan in futuristic L.A. In this scene, she is startled to see J.F. Sebastian and runs, plowing straight into his nearby vehicle. This accident was not in the script, but was a genuine slip-up of Hannah’s. Pun intended. Hannah accidentally ran into the prop vehicle for real and her arm went straight through the glass window, chipping her elbow in eight places. She even shows the scar in the “Dangerous Days” documentary, a permanent keepsake from her time in the classic film.

“The Rocky Horror Picture Show” (1975)

Part of the fun of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” is pointing out the blatant continuity mistakes and various goofs peppered throughout the film. It’s all part of the cheap, B-movie charm. One of the best mistakes is found in the climax during the mutiny of Riff Raff and Magenta. Shortly after they burst into the room, Brad and Janet express fear and back away from Frank-N-Furter. Along the way, Susan Sarandon accidentally stepped on Barry Bostwick’s foot with her spiked heel, causing him to visibly grimace in pain. It doesn’t last long, the pain that Bostwick experienced is apparent. You can practically hear the scream.

“The Martian” (2015)

While his role is small, Donald Glover shines as Rich Purnell, a young astrodynamicist who devises a genius idea for rescuing Mark from Mars. Rich is a hyperactive man who speaks quickly and gets lost in thought, both of which are seen in his very first appearance. Rich stops talking and gets a surprised look on his face, telling his co-worker that he needs more coffee. Shortly after getting up, he trips and falls to the ground, completely out of the camera’s sight. This was an unintentional visual gag made by Glover, who genuinely slipped and fell. Rather than break character, he decided to keep going, rising to his feet and declaring that he was fine. The power of coffee!

“The Hunger Games” franchise (2012-)

It’s a pretty big deal when your character, who is supposedly a master archer, can’t even hold a bow properly. Most general moviegoers wouldn’t notice that Katniss is actually quite a poor archer, but it’s true. A number of experts and hobbyists have explained the myriad mistakes found in the “Hunger Games” movies, from the way Katniss holds her bow to the inaccurate movement and pointer grip. These aren’t big deals for casual viewers, but the mistakes would significantly impact Katniss’s accuracy - and probably cause her some serious injuries as well.

“The Usual Suspects” (1995)

Cigarettes are hot. Eyeballs are sensitive. The two do not make for a fun combination. In one brutal scene, Redfoot flicks a cigarette into the face of McManus, prompting a rather violent reaction. It makes for a wince-inducing visual, and it was a total accident by Redfoot’s actor, Peter Greene. Greene was supposed to flick the cigarette into Stephen Baldwin’s chest, but he missed his mark and accidentally flicked him straight in the eye. The camera quickly cuts to Fenster’s shocked reaction, reportedly because everyone broke character and rushed to Baldwin to make sure he was alright. He was, luckily.

“First Blood” (1982)

For the most part, “First Blood” is a realistic and down-to-earth action film about a traumatized vet stalking police in the Washington woods. Perhaps the biggest set piece in the film sees Rambo jumping off a cliff, landing in a tree, and somehow walking away with his life. Rambo was left mostly unscathed, but Sylvester Stallone wasn’t so lucky. Stallone performed the stunt himself - that is, falling through the trees, not jumping off the cliff! He slammed into a branch on the way down, breaking one of his ribs and causing him to howl in pain. These are both seen and heard in the film, adding a nice degree of authenticity to the on-screen injury.

“Addams Family Values” (1993)

We return for another archery mistake, only this one is much funnier. In one scene of “Addams Family Values,” Joel is attempting to do archery but is having some trouble getting the arrow on the bow. One of the counselors gets impatient, prompting Joel to throw the arrow to the ground. In reality, this was not Joel, but actor David Krumholtz getting frustrated. Krumholtz was supposed to notch the arrow and shoot it off-screen, but he couldn’t figure it out and eventually just threw the prop in anger. Krumholtz thought he was going to be in trouble, but the director actually loved the improv and decided to keep it in the movie.

“The Way of the Gun” (2000)

This neo-Western was the first movie directed by Christopher McQuarrie, who would later find great success helming the “Mission: Impossible” franchise. What better way to break in a new director than having one actor accidentally punch another in the face? In this scene, Ryan Phillippe’s Parker is berated by Silverman, so he gives her a nasty knuckle sandwich. According to Silverman, Phillippe really did punch her, causing her to fall to the ground and giving her a massive welt on her cheek. Unlike his character, Phillippe was endlessly sorry for the mistake, as he reportedly cried while apologizing to Silverman.

“The Dreamers” (2003)

Before she was a Bond girl, Eva Green starred in an erotic drama called “The Dreamers,” playing a young woman named Isabelle. In this scene, Isabelle leans in to kiss Matthew goodnight and accidentally sends her hair into a nearby candle. The flame instantly lights her hair on fire, prompting both her and Matthew to suffocate the flame with their hands. This was a real mistake, Green’s hair was actually on fire, and the quick reactions from both Green and Michael Pitt were 100% genuine. Luckily, their quick thinking prevented any serious injury from occurring.

“Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels” (1998)

One of Guy Ritchie’s most popular films, “Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels” is a crime film with a great sense of humor. Enter Stephen Marcus accidentally breaking a glass table. Marcus plays Nick the Greek, a fence who is selling drugs to gangster Rory Breaker. Shortly after rising from his chair, Nick drops a glass onto Rory’s table, causing it to shatter into pieces. This was not scripted, and Marcus actually broke the table with his glass. His look of surprise is completely genuine, and it makes for a brilliant visual gag.

“Chinatown” (1974)

This classic noir follows Jack Nicholson’s Jake Gittes as he investigates a complex water scheme in 1930s Los Angeles. His journey leads him to Noah Cross, who sits with Jake for a fancy lunch. There are numerous times throughout the conversation that Noah mispronounces Gittes’ name, even after he’s politely corrected. This is a moment of unplanned filmmaking magic. The repeated mispronouncing of Gittes’ name is a great power move that helps establish Noah’s dominance and uncaring attitude. In reality, this was a genuine mistake made by actor John Huston. Director Roman Polanski decided to keep it, apparently loving what it did for Noah’s character.

“Sixteen Candles” (1984)

In this John Hughes classic, comedian Billie Bird plays Dorothy Baker, the grandmother of Molly Ringwald’s Samantha. Dorothy is involved in a comedic scene that sees people climbing in and out of a car while going to a wedding. Dorothy is the last character to supposedly “enter” the car, which makes the goof all the more glaring. Rather than entering the car, Billie Bird crouches behind it and kneels in place as it peels away. It’s a very glaring and obvious mistake, as Bird’s blue costume can easily be seen through the car’s windows. We can’t blame Bird here, as this was likely a framing mistake made by either the director or cinematographer. Either way, it sure is hilarious!

“Baywatch” (2017)

This comedy was a film adaptation of the beloved TV show, so you better believe there was some slow-motion running! The final scene shows a bunch of characters running on the beach, including Zac Efron’s Matt Brody. Matt goes to bump arms with Mitch when he loses his footing and falls to the sand. Slow-motion trips have long been the source of comedic parody, and “Baywatch” continued the tradition. But according to Efron, this fall was completely unscripted. He told USA Today that he genuinely tripped while shooting the run and was somewhat embarrassed, considering the iconic nature of the scene. Luckily, it worked well for comedic effect and was kept in the film.

“The Heat” (2013)

In one of this movie’s funniest scenes, Sarah and Shannon decide to play good cop bad cop during an interrogation. Shortly after Sarah walks into the room, Shannon bursts in, pushes Sarah out of the way, and hurls a phone book straight at the suspect’s face. This was not a camera trick - actor Michael McDonald was actually drilled in the face. He insisted on using a real phone book and reportedly planned to dodge it, but that clearly didn’t work. You can actually see a brief grimace of pain on McDonald’s face before the camera cuts to McCarthy. It certainly looks painful, but worry not, he was completely okay.

“American Graffiti” (1973)

Directed by George Lucas four years before “Star Wars,” “American Graffiti” is a coming-of-age comedy that takes place in early ‘60s California. The laughs begin immediately, with the dorky and unpopular Terry Fields crashing his scooter in a drive-in parking lot. Terry stops the scooter and starts getting off when he suddenly accelerates and crashes into some garbage. This was a genuine accident by actor Charles Martin Smith, and his hilarious “oh crap” reaction was 100% real. Rather than panicking and calling cut, Lucas kept the cameras rolling and let the accident play itself out.

“The Princess Bride” (1987)

One scene in Rob Reiner’s classic comedy sees Count Tyrone Rugen knocking out Westley with a sword. If this injury looks a little too real, that’s because it is. The cast was filming with real swords and Christopher Guest was going easy on Cary Elwes as he didn’t want to hurt him. However, the actors weren’t getting satisfactory footage, so Elwes told Guest to hit him hard. Guest did as agreed and smacked Elwes with a good amount of force. The impact knocked him out cold and he required stitches to close the resulting gash in his head. Elwes literally paid for it in blood, but hey, at least they got good footage!

“Grease” (1978)

Behold, a secret of the filmmaking process! Right before the legendary “Beauty School Dropout,” a newly pink-haired Frenchy speaks to the elderly waitress of the diner. She cleans up after Frenchy’s friends and loads up a tray with various goodies. With both hands full, she is forced to use her elbow to turn off the lights. Observant viewers will notice that her elbow is a good two or three inches below the switch, yet the light turns off anyway! It’s glaringly obvious that that switch doesn’t actually do anything and that a stagehand was responsible for the lights. Either that or that waitress is a witch.

“Bring It On” (2000)

Filming sports movies sounds like a difficult and stressful process, as the potential for serious accidents seems very high. The climactic scene in this cheerleading comedy sees the East Compton Clovers performing their choreographed routine at the national championship. About twenty seconds into the routine, two cheerleaders experience a major failure in communication and choreography. If you look on the left side of the screen, you’ll see the two cheerleaders collide, with one accidentally running into the path of the other. It’s quite easy to miss, but it’s one of those things that you’ll never be able to unsee.

“Office Space” (1999)

A defining comedy of the ‘90s, “Office Space” spoke to a generation of employees suffering from the corporate blues. One particularly famous scene sees Michael Bolton talking to his friends Peter and Samir when an error message appears on the printer. Michael stops mid-sentence and smacks the printer in frustration, sending the tray clattering to the floor. It’s a genius scene, and yet none of it was planned. The printer had run out of paper from previous takes, causing it to beep and interrupt actor David Herman. Herman ran with it and spun comedic gold in the process.

“Nightcrawler” (2014)

This eerie thriller stars Jake Gyllenhaal as Lou Bloom, an opportunistic and manipulative freelance photographer. One highly charged scene sees a stressed-out Lou looking at himself in the bathroom mirror. He suddenly screams in frustration and slams the cabinet door closed, shattering the attached mirror. This scream and resulting cabinet-banging were apparently improvised by Gyllenhaal, as both he and the director were trying different approaches to the scene. Unfortunately, the breaking glass cut deep into Gyllenhaal’s hand, and the cut required nearly fifty stitches to close. But Gyllenhaal is a trooper - not only did he keep his cool, but he finished the scene by walking past the camera and out of the bathroom.

“Quantum of Solace” (2008)

This certainly isn’t the greatest Bond film, complete with a messy plot and some glaringly evident goofs. It features one of the most iconic on-screen mishaps, and it comes through the form of a sweeping extra. While Bond sits idle on his motorcycle, a man in the background can be seen sweeping the dock. However, the broom is hovering about half a foot off the ground, and we’re left wondering how that dock is getting cleaned. This was likely a sound issue, as the noise of the swishing broom would have been picked up by the microphones. This sort of stuff happens all the time in movies - they just don’t make it so obvious.

“The Master” (2012)

Did you know it was possible to break a toilet with your feet? Well, Joaquin Phoenix didn’t. His character in “The Master,” Freddie Quell, is thrown in a jail cell and begins acting violently by smashing himself into the bed and destroying the toilet. For this intensely physical scene, Phoenix studied how wild animals behave in captivity and acted with similar aggression. Part of this animalistic behavior included breaking the toilet with a few hard kicks. He didn’t think such a thing could be done, telling The New York Times, “I didn't intend to break the thing. I didn't know that was possible.” Well, it is possible, and he found that out firsthand! Luckily, it was in the service of a great scene.

“Scream” (1996)

Few horror comedies have toed the line quite as expertly as “Scream.” Even in the horrifying climax, with bodies piling up and characters drenched in blood, the movie still makes an effort to keep audiences laughing. In fact, one of the film’s signature bits of comedy comes in the climax, when Billy hits Stu with the landline phone. The phone actually slipped out of Skeet Ulrich’s hand owing to the prop blood and hit Matthew Lillard in the back of the head. He improvised Stu’s iconic reaction and Wes Craven loved it so much that he kept it in the film.

“Gentlemen Prefer Blondes” (1953)

This classic comedy features a number of dazzling musical sequences, including the song “Ain’t There Anyone Here for Love?” It’s sung by ‘50s sex symbol Jane Russell and takes place inside a gymnasium. The choreographed dance ends in a rather unpredictable fashion. Numerous men dive over Russell as she sits by the side of the pool, but the last man clips her back and sends her into the water. It makes for an endearing, if somewhat painful-looking, finish. And it was completely unplanned. The dancer, a man named Ed Fury, accidentally slammed into Russell during his dive. He then attempted to claim choreography credit for the failed stunt and was fired as a result.

“The Princess Diaries” (2001)

Anne Hathaway made her film debut in this 2001 cult classic, playing Princess of Genovia Mia Thermopolis. Mia has a friend named Lilly, and it’s while talking with her that an iconic movie goof occurs. Hathaway is walking up and down some bleachers when she slips off the metal and falls with a hilarious little squeak. Hathaway and Heather Matarazzo remain in character - well, kind of. Hathaway laughs in embarrassment and Matarazzo asks if she’s OK. This was a genuine interaction between the two actresses, but it also works for the moment and the characters. It's this type of professionalism that would lead Hathaway to a future Oscar!

“The Birdcage” (1996)

And speaking of funny falls that were kept in the movie, let’s talk “The Birdcage!” This oft-forgotten comedy stars Robin Williams as Armand Goldman, a gay drag club owner who tries to impress the conservative parents of his son’s fiancée. During a hectic get-together, Armand slips on the kitchen floor and comically falls out of frame. Williams actually slipped, but being the consummate pro that he was, he kept the scene going through his own giggles. Fortunately, the fall works splendidly as a visual gag, and the brief character break from Williams only adds to the manic hilarity.

“1917” (2019)

If there’s one defining image from “1917,” it’s Will Schofield running across an exploding battleground as soldiers pour from a trench. It’s a brilliant cinematic achievement, and it nearly ended in disaster. During the run, actor George MacKay is twice knocked over by extras, but he gets up both times and keeps running. These were genuine accidents, and they resulted in some noticeable errors. The first soldier to hit Schofield lays on the ground and plays dead, and at one point the camera stops and waits for MacKay to catch up. This would have been a nightmare to refilm, so they essentially just ran with it - no pun intended. Luckily, these little errors add to the moment and help aid in the scene’s incredible tension.

“The Hateful Eight” (2015)

If you’re working with a genuine antique worth lots of money, it’s probably best to inform your actor of that fact. Kurt Russell’s John Ruth grabs Daisy’s guitar and smashes it against a pillar. This was an actual guitar dating from the 1870s that was lent to the production by a museum. The guitar was supposed to be replaced by a smashable prop, but for some reason the real guitar was kept in, resulting in its complete destruction. Jennifer Jason Leigh’s shocked reaction is real, and she clearly looks off-camera toward the crew. There’s even an awkward edit when it cuts to the other angle as if filming was stopped to allow everyone to compose themselves.

“North by Northwest” (1959)

Working with loud noises must be very hard, even for the pros. You know a loud noise is coming, and you instinctively want to flinch. But you obviously can’t, as that would ruin the take. This conundrum resulted in a classic goof in Alfred Hitchcock’s “North by Northwest.” Eve shoots Roger with blanks in a crowded restaurant, and a kid in the background can clearly be seen covering his ears in anticipation of the shot. What makes this even worse is that he is in plain view of the camera and plugs his ears loooong before Eve actually shoots. Hitchcock either didn’t notice this, which is hard to believe, or he just didn’t care. Sometimes good enough is good enough.

“Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope” (1977)

In one of the movie’s most iconic sequences, Luke and Han suit up in Stormtrooper outfits to save Princess Leia from captivity on the Death Star. Luke comically mentions that he can’t see out of his helmet, and this moment birthed a popular urban legend. The story goes that Mark Hamill said this to Harrison Ford, not knowing that the cameras were rolling. This is a half-truth. Hamill clarified on Twitter that the line was indeed ad-libbed but that he knew they were shooting at the time. Regardless, George Lucas loved the line, incorporated it into future takes, and eventually put it in the finished film.

“Fast & Furious 6” (2013)

Spit takes are usually reserved for wacky sitcoms, so it’s always great to see a genuine spit take in the wild. A fantastic one can be seen in “Fast & Furious 6.” When Hobbs arrives at the barbecue, Roman makes a jab about hiding Mia’s baby oil. Dwayne Johnson wasn’t supposed to respond to this, but he improvised a line about Roman’s “big ass forehead” instead. This caused Ludacris to crack up, resulting in a genuine spit take that was captured on camera. Luckily, the take could be used in the movie as Tyrese Gibson stayed in character and dejectedly responded to Johnson’s jab.

“Almost Famous” (2000)

Sometimes mistakes result in great character moments. Such is the case in this scene between Patrick Fugit’s William and Kate Hudson’s Penny Lane. Penny asks William if he’d like to go to Morocco with her, and he responds in a somewhat awkward manner. He then says “ask me again,” and this time, he responds with a far more enthusiastic “yes!” According to director Cameron Crowe, this interaction was a blooper, as Fugit asked Hudson to repeat her line so he could give a better take. Crowe loved the interaction so much that he decided to leave both takes in the movie, resulting in a wonderful bit of character work. A great director knows when they have magic on their hands.

“Guardians of the Galaxy” (2014)

The MCU is full of terrific casting, but Chris Pratt in the role of Star Lord is particularly inspired. And, as in “Parks and Recreation,” Pratt’s improvisation and blunders only add to his character. In the scene involving The Collector, Star Lord fumbles the orb and drops it on the ground. According to James Gunn in the audio commentary, this was a complete accident, as Chris Pratt actually fumbled the prop. But rather than laughing, Pratt decided to pick it up and play it off, and Gunn loved it so much that he kept it in the movie. It was a happy accident and a perfect example of Star Lord’s lovably goofball nature.

“Scent of a Woman” (1992)

Al Pacino won an Academy Award for his role as the blind Frank Slade, a retired and irritable lieutenant colonel. Pacino undertook meticulous research for the role, which included meeting with members of New York’s Associated Blind. He also met with the Lighthouse Guild, who taught him techniques that blind people use to perform everyday tasks. In order to simulate his character’s blindness, Pacino never allowed his eyes to focus. Because of this, he accidentally ran into a garbage can while filming on the street. The actors stayed in character, and the blooper was kept in the movie - adding to the realism of his performance.

“Rain Man” (1988)

“Rain Man” is one of the most memorable films of the late ‘80s thanks in large part to the electric chemistry between Dustin Hoffman and Tom Cruise. It seems like they got along well behind the camera as well, as Hoffman was comfortable enough to let loose in an enclosed phone booth with Cruise. Hoffman stayed in character while farting, and Cruise (ever the professional) decided to run with it, remaining in character and performing some banter with Hoffman. Hoffman looks back proudly on the scene, saying, “It’s just my favourite moment of [anything] I’ve ever done. That includes Shakespeare.” So that settles it. Farting is better than Shakespeare.

“Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events” (2004)

This movie didn’t do super well at the box office, but most people will agree that Jim Carrey made for a great Count Olaf. When meeting the Baudelaire children, Olaf asks Klaus to repeat himself so he can give a more appropriate reaction to their parents’ deaths. But legend has it that Carrey had actually wanted to do another take and was asking the script supervisor to give him the line again. Carrey can even be seen gesturing off-camera with his left hand, presumably towards the script supervisor. Through a clever bit of editing, the filmmakers were able to work it into the movie and make it seem like just another one of Olaf’s eccentricities.

“Napoleon Dynamite” (2004)

One of the funniest scenes in “Napoleon Dynamite” sees Kip driving over a tupperware bowl, shattering it, and driving away in utter defeat. This is another example of a real life gaffe making the scene even funnier than it was envisioned. The original plan was to have the tupperware slightly deform and reshape itself, but it ended up exploding with a satisfying pop. Not wanting to waste a fantastic opportunity, actor Aaron Ruell decided to improvise Kip’s disappointment and drove out of the shot. It is infinitely funnier than what was planned, and it proves that the comedy gods were smiling upon the “Napoleon Dynamite” filmmakers that day.

“Dr. Strangelove” (1964)

Stanley Kubrick has a legendary filmography, so it’s hard to pick his “best” movie. But if arms were twisted, the answer, for many, would be “Dr. Strangelove.” Even if it’s not his “best,” it’s certainly his funniest, as the movie is jam-packed with biting satire and old fashioned slapstick from start to finish. One of the funnier visuals sees General Turgidson tripping, falling to the ground, and continuing his conversation while still on the floor. Actor George C. Scott really tripped while performing the scene but decided to stay in character, resulting in an unintentionally brilliant bit of slapstick comedy. Perhaps this professionalism was a remnant of Scott’s Broadway and Shakespeare career, as there’s no cutting or breaking character on the stage.

“Titanic” (1997)

There are many classic scenes in “Titanic”, but perhaps the most iconic of them all is Jack painting Rose on the couch. Or is it a bed? After Rose undresses, Jack grows visibly and audibly flustered. So much so that he flubs his instructions, telling Rose to lie “on the bed” before quickly correcting himself. This was a real mistake from Leonardo DiCaprio, but director James Cameron loved the take so much that he decided to keep it in. It was a great creative decision, as it wonderfully depicts Jack’s intense feelings. Plus, it makes the scene that much more realistic and meaningful (and yes, steamy).

“Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets” (2002)

In order to access the Slytherin common room and suss out information from Malfoy, Harry and Ron decide to drink Polyjuice potion and disguise themselves as Crabbe and Goyle. Unfortunately, Harry forgets to take off his glasses, leading Malfoy to question why Goyle is wearing them. When Harry explains that he was reading, Malfoy off-handedly remarks that he didn’t know Goyle could read. This line was completely improvised by Tom Felton, who supposedly forgot his actual response. Jason Isaacs, who plays Felton’s fictional father Lucius, claims that improvisation was welcomed on set and that it often led to many great interactions.

“The Outsiders” (1983)

“The Outsiders” is a pretty heavy story, but it’s punctuated with moments of levity. This is one of those moments. While putting the moves on Cherry, Dallas accidentally falls out of his chair and is laughed at by both Ponyboy and Cherry. It works wonderfully within the context of the scene, and it was also a total freak accident. Matt Dillon actually fell out of his chair, and the laughs from C. Thomas Howell and Diane Lane were genuine. In fact, you can totally see Howell glance off-camera towards the crew, presumably expecting the director to cut. Luckily, they decided to keep rolling, and Lane can be seen trying to contain her laughter as Dillon continues as planned.

“How the Grinch Stole Christmas” (2000)

If you’re looking to impress people at a party, you can never go wrong with this classic. That is… unless you do it wrong. Ripping a tablecloth off of a table without disrupting any of the place settings is an art form; people work very hard at mastering this trick. And here’s Jim Carrey doing it flawlessly without even meaning to! The script reportedly called for the Grinch to simply yank the cloth off the table, but Carrey accidentally performed a flawless tablecloth trick in the process. Rather than just leaving it at that, Carrey ran back and cleared the table the old-fashioned way. This is one of those unscripted moments that proved infinitely more entertaining than what the screenwriters called for.

“Zoolander” (2001)

It seems like Tom Felton took a page out of Ben Stiller’s book - whenever you forget your line, just make up something funny. When Derek Zoolander asks David Duchovny’s J.P. Prewett why male models are being used as assassins, Prewett embarks on a long and detailed explanation. It SEEMS like Zoolander is understanding perfectly. That is, until Prewett finishes his explanation, and Zoolander asks the exact same question. Stiller had actually forgotten his next line and decided to just ask the question again. Duchovny rolled with Stiller’s ad lib and improvised his own response to Zoolander’s dimwitted question.

“Blazing Saddles” (1974)

When you put Cleavon Little and Gene Wilder on the screen together, you get pure movie magic. “Blazing Saddles” is widely regarded as one of the funniest movies ever made, even though it is unapologetically vulgar and provocative. One of the funnier scenes involves Wilder’s character, The Waco Kid, talking about “morons.” It’s very obvious that Little is desperately trying to contain a smile throughout the entire scene, but Wilder’s “morons” line proves too much, and he breaks character with a genuine laugh. It’s weirdly warming to see such a genuine reaction from an actor. Comedy directors should leave characters breaks such as this one in the film more often.

“Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory” (1971)

Speaking of Gene Wilder, he intentionally messed with Paris Themmen while filming the Pure Imagination sequence of “Willy Wonka.” The children had been instructed not to pass Gene Wilder on the steps, and so Mike Teavee’s look of regret and hesitation is very real. But the movie’s best mistake doesn’t come from Wilder, but rather Aubrey Woods, who plays Bill the Candy Man. During The Candy Man song, Woods absolutely pegs a little girl in the chin while raising the counter. The young actress visibly recoils from the brutal uppercut she has just received, but she carries on and continues the scene as rehearsed. What a pro.

“The Usual Suspects” (1995)

Farting plus a long day of shooting equals unstoppable giggles. The famous line-up sequence from “The Usual Suspects” was supposed to be serious and dramatic, but Benicio Del Toro kept farting and cracking everyone up. According to Kevin Pollak on the special edition DVD, Del Toro had been farting for twelve straight takes and the actors were getting giddy. This reportedly infuriated director Bryan Singer, who was trying to film the sequence properly. He’d lost all control of his actors and decided to just cut the scene in a humorous fashion by using a combination of the funniest takes. The result was comedy gold.

“Apocalypse Now” (1979)

Martin Sheen had a hell of a time filming “Apocalypse Now,” what with suffering a heart attack, cutting his hand on a shard of glass, and battling alcoholism. The latter two can be seen during the famous sequence in which Willard breaks down in his hotel room. Legend has it that Sheen got really drunk, told the camera operators to roll, and completely improvised the sequence himself. He essentially had a nervous breakdown on screen and ended up punching a real mirror, slicing his hand and bleeding all over the set in the process. His behavior was allegedly so disturbing that everyone wanted to stop filming, but Sheen was adamant that he continue unopposed.

“The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers” (2002)

Early in the“The Two Towers,” Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli search the plains of Middle-earth for Merry and Pippin. After meeting the Rohirrim, they are led to believe that the hobbits were killed in the Rohirrim’s massacre of the Uruk-hai. Aragorn kicks a helmet in frustration and falls to his knees, screaming in fury and emotional agony. Aragorn’s emotional agony was actually Viggo Mortensen’s physical agony, as he broke two toes kicking the prop helmet. Ever the pro, Mortensen decided to remain in character and didn’t even tell anyone that he had injured himself until it became obvious. Peter Jackson loved Mortensen’s scream so much that he used the take in the movie.

“Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope” (1977)

When you wear a stormtrooper helmet, you run the risk of low visibility and, for one trooper at least, bonking your head. The identity of the stormtrooper remains disputed, although it’s believed to be either Laurie Goode or Michael Leader. Either way, the blooper has become a famous piece of movie history, and while it was initially overlooked, George Lucas has since acknowledged the gaffe in many ways. In “Attack of the Clones,” Jango Fett bumps his head on a clearance door in homage to the stormtrooper, and in the 2004 re-release, the bonking was given an audible sound effect. Apparently actors hitting their heads is quite common, as Gandalf hitting the wall in Bilbo’s hobbit hole was also unscripted.

“Django Unchained” (2012)

If there’s one on-screen mistake more famous than the Stormtrooper bonking his head, then it’s Leonardo DiCaprio’s accident in “Django Unchained”. While filming the dinner table confrontation, DiCaprio accidentally slammed his hand into stemmed glassware and sliced it open. Ever the professional, DiCaprio didn’t even flinch and continued the scene as planned. It wasn’t until later that he looked down at his hand to assess the damage and saw it covered in blood. After the scene cut, DiCaprio reportedly received a standing ovation by the cast and crew. It was also he who had the idea of smearing blood on Broomhilda’s face - although fake blood was used for the sequence.

Did you know these were genuine mistakes? Let us know in the comments below!